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THE 


wo=Kold Gift 


OF THE 


Holy Ghost. 

T 


Bv THOS. K. DOTY, 

H 

Author of ’* Lessons in Holiness.” 


Cleveland, O.: 
Christian Harvester Office, 
1890. 



V 


lCoPYRIGHTEj 


. 37 / 2 ) 

,31 


'.rtv THI Author, (890. | 




moa. o At) 


THE ** VENI, CREATOR SPIRITUS.” 

The remarkable Hymn to the Holy Ghost, 
Veni , Creator Spiritus, was one of the seven 
great hymns of the Mediaeval Church. It was 
a mark that was left by the lengthy contest 
which was waged concerning the Person and 
Work of the Holy Ghost. It was sung at 
Whitsuntide, the annual festival commemo¬ 
rative of the Descent of the Holy Ghost at 
Pentecost. Early in the thirteenth century, it 
was sung by the boys of the unfortunate 
“ Children’s Crusade,” as they sailed out of 
the harbor of Marseilles’to slavery and death. 
In the Romish Church, it is still used on 
solemn occasions, such as the elevation of 
popes and the coronation of kings. It was 
among the early translations of the Reforma¬ 
tion, and is still used by various Protestant 
Churches in their ordination ceremonies. 

The authorship of the Veni, Creator Spiritus 
is attributed by some to Gregory the Great, 
who died a. d. 604. But it is popularly at¬ 
tributed to Charlemagne, who lived a. d. 742- 
614. The first historical notice of it is under 
the date of a. d. 898. As it now appears, the 


3 




iv VENI, CREATQR SPIRITUS. 

last stanza is supposed to be the product of a 
later period. 

The following is the English translation of 
the hymn by Cosin : 

Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire. 

And lighten with Celestial Fire ; 

Thou the Anointing Spirit art, 

Who doth thy seven-fold gifts impart; 

Thy blessed Unction from above, 

Is comfort, life, and fire of love. 

Enable with perpetual light, 

The dullness of our blinded sight; 

Anoint and cheer our soiled face, 

With the abundance of thy grace ; 

Keep far our foes, give peace at home.; 

Where Thou art Guide, no ill can come 

Teach us to know the Father, Son, 

And Thee, of Both, to be but One ; 

That, through the ages all along. 

This may be our endless song: 

Praise to thy Eternal Merit, 

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! 


PREFACE. 


The late Revival of the Specific Work of Holiness has. 
resulted in a greatly increased attention to the subject of 
the Person and Work of the Holy Ghost. This is all very, 
natural, and all very well. Such a study must be pecu¬ 
liarly profitable to those who have made definite ad¬ 
vancement in the spiritual life. It is hoped, therefore, 
that the following presentation will not destroy, but at 
least in some measure increase that interest in the blessed 
Holy Ghost, which is so general among us. 

A particular object in writing has been to make plain 
and prominent the Promise of the “ Gift of the Holy 
Ghost,” the consummation of the Last Dispensation of the 
Gospel which is to be enjoyed on earth. Especially, it 
seemed desirable to trace in loving order the Two Branches, 
of this One Great Promise ; namely, that of the Holy 
Ghost as the Paraclete, Advocate, Comforter, and that of 
the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. 

But it seemed first necessary to give a brief view, in as 
popular a form as convenient, of the Personality and 
Divinity of the Holy Ghost. These Scriptural Facts are 
somew'hat hidden away in dry books of theology, where 
but few, comparatively, study them. They should be 
simplified, and as far as may be, brought to the com¬ 
prehension of the humblest child of grace. 

The doctrine of Entire Sanctification is necessarily ex¬ 
amined in connection wdih that of the Holy Ghost. The 
two are co-relative. The former includes that of sin in 
believers, and perfect and instantaneous cleansing in the 
blood of Jesus, subsequent to regeneration. I have made 


i 


vi 


PREFACE. 


no material change on these points from the views pre¬ 
sented in my former work, Lessons in Holiness 
When that was written, however, I did not have so clear 
light on a few minor things as I have since received. 

Other points have been considered, than those already 
named, and which need not here be specially named. 
They are such as grow immediately out of. the general 
Doctrine and Work of the Holy Ghost, or are nearly re¬ 
lated thereto. They all belong to the life and discipline 
of holiness. 

No attempt has been made to exhaust a subject, which 
is confessedly inexhaustible. A few things only are ad¬ 
vanced which are so novel as, perhaps, to challenge 
special attention on that account, and, possibly, objection. 
Concerning them, all which can be reasonably asked is, 
the prayerful candor of the objector. 

The work of preparation of The Two-Fold Gift of 
the Holy Ghost has been performed amid the natural 
discouragements of a busy life, and of somewhat serious 
physical disability. The result, though imperfect, is 
committed to God, and to the children of God ; in the 
trust that some real instruction may be found in it by the 
inquiring soul; and if he be not yet fully sanctified, that 
in the hand of God, it may be one of the means, or the 
special means, of his receiving entire emancipation from 
sin, and the fruition of the Blessed Comforter. 

All the praise belongs, and all of it is and shall be 
given, for all inspiration and help, in this as in every 
other undertaking of life, to God the Father, God the 
Son, and God the Holy Ghost. Amen. 

T. K. D. 

Christian Harvester Office, 

Cleveland , O. 


INDEX. 


pagb. 

Chap. I.—A Summary,.9 

“ II.—The Holy Ghost a Person, 14 

“ III.—The New Testament Designating Terms, 17 

“ IV.—The Scriptural View, - - 25 

“ V.—The Holy Ghost is God, 28 

“ VI.—Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, - 34 

44 VII.—The Triunity of God, 39 

44 VIII.—The Apostolic Benediction, - - 47 

44 IX.—The Worship of the Holy Ghost, - - 52 

44 X.—The Dispensations, - - * - 60 

44 XI.— The First Dispensation, 64 

44 XII.—The Second Dispensation, 69 

44 XIII.—Holiness—Sinning, - - - 77 

44 XIV.—The Sin of the World, 82 

44 XV.—Final Deliverance from Sin, - - 87 

44 XVI.—The Day of the Holy Ghost, - - 96 

44 XVII.—Jesus and the Holy Ghost, - - 99 

“ XVIII.—The Epoch of the Holy Ghost, - 113 

44 XIX.—The Epoch of the Holy Ghost—con¬ 
tinued, .120 

— 44 XX.—The Anointing,.126 

44 XXI.—The Baptism of the Holy Ghost, - 131 

~ “ XXII.—The Baptism of Fire, - » - 137 

vii 


viii 

PACK. 

Chap. XXIII.—The Two-Fold Experiences of the 

Holy Ghost,.142 

“ XXIV.—The Fellowship of the Holy Ghost, 147 

“ XXV.—In the Spirit,.155 

“ XXVI.—Several Scriptural Terms Considered, 162 

44 XXVII.—Pentecost,.169 

44 XXVIII Inspiration—Prophecy, - - 177 

“ XXIX.—Spiritual Leading and Teaching, - 189 

44 XXX.—The Gifts of the Spirit, - - - 198 

44 XXXI.—Praying in the Holy Ghost, - - 209 

44 XXXII.—Power,.- 218 

44 XXXIII.—Power—continued, ... 229 





®tvo-goib mft 


Chapter I. 


A SUMMARY. 



WHE Holy Ghost is God. Not another 
^ God, but the God. Not a Divine Influ¬ 
ence, but a Divine Person. Not a local God, 
and confined, but one who is everywhere pres¬ 
ent. Not inpalpable and unknown, but appre¬ 
ciable and revealed. Not inert and dead, but 
full of the solid attributes of life; among them 
consciousness, perception, will, and power. 
Not cold and indifferent, but warm and affec¬ 
tionate; possessing all love, as applied to truth,, 
righteousness, and holiness, and all consequent 
and proper hatred, as applied to untruth, un¬ 
righteousness, and unholiness. 

1. The Holy Ghost is infinitely active in 
the material and spiritual universe. He is the 
more immediate Divine Agent in the work of 
human salvation; he applies the Blood of the 
Atonement to the removal of all guilt from the 
sinner’s conscience; and afterward, all sin from 
the believer’s heart. He is the precious Ad- 


» 



10 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


vocate of the saints. He keeps, comforts, di¬ 
rects, and empowers the holy ones, and fills 
them with perfect love. 

2. Of the mystery of the Godhead, and of 
the place of the Holy Ghost in the Godhead, 
we can know comparatively little. But in the 
word of God certain facts are revealed con¬ 
cerning him, sometimes plainly, but at others 
only inferentially, which we must accept. And 
by experience, there is a still more real and 
satisfactory knowledge of God and eternal life. 
“ We all,’' says Paul, “with unvailed face, re¬ 
flecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord, are 
transformed into the same image, from glory to 
glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit." 
(2 Cor. iii. 18.) 

3. According to the Scriptures, there are 
three distinct dispensations of gospel grace. 
They are that of the Father, that of the Father 
and Son, and that of the Father, Son and Holy 
Ghost. The Holy Ghost is active in every dis¬ 
pensation; but he is more particularly revealed 
to the believer as a person in the last of the 
three. 

4. As Jesus Christ is the Gift of God to the 
world of sinners, so the Holy Ghost is the Gift 
of God to the children of God. The Gift of 
the Holy Ghost is doubly purposed, doubly 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 11 

promised, and doubly realized. Concerning 
these things we may well and with emphasis, 
say: “ He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” 

5. The first form of the Scriptural Promise 
of the Great Gift to the Church is this: “He 
shall Baptize you with the Holy Ghost." This 
form is variously repeated in both the Old and 
the New Testament. The primary purpose of 
the Baptism indicated, covers general Divine 
contact and manifestation ; but specifically , sepa¬ 
ration and cleansing from original sin. 

6. The second form of the Scriptural Pro¬ 
mise of the Great Gift to the Church is this: 
“I will pray the Father, and he shall give you 
another Comforter (.Paraclete ), that he may abide 
with you forever; even the Spirit of Truth." 
(John xiv. 16, 17.) This form is repeated by 
our Savior a number of times. Its purpose 
covers, specifically, the coming of the Holy Ghost 
i?i his character as a Divine Person ; he as such 
dwelling in the hearts of the entirely sanctified; 
he there revealing himself as the Advocate or 
Teacher, Friend, and Companion ; and he, in the 
same character, imparting power, blessing, and 
glory. 

7. All of the work of the Holy Ghost is 
personal work. It cannot be otherwise. The 
two forms of Promise of the Gift, therefore, 


12 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


are simply two different profiles and side-views 
of the same on-coming Presence and Majesty 
Divine. They principally concern him, first as 
the Cleanser of the Heart, and secondly, as the 
Companion of the Soul. These unfoldings are 
distinctly realized; yet not in every respect so, 
because they run into each other, like different 
rays of the same glorious sun. Through the 
Holy Ghost as the Baptizer, and as the Advo¬ 
cate or Comforter, the sanctified receive all 
there is of God that is for their upbuilding in 
righteousness and true holiness, for fellowship 
and direction in life, and for power and use¬ 
fulness among men. 

Note.— The terms “Holy Ghost ” and “Holy 
Spirit’’ are the same in meaning. The vari¬ 
ations of the English represent precisely the 
same Greek original. The use of one of them, 
therefore, rather than the other is simply a 
matter of custom, of euphony, and of taste. 
The original words are Pneuma, to Hagion; 
literally signifying, “Spirit, the Holy.’’ The 
root of the word “spirit” is “ to breathe, to 
flow.” The word “ghost” reaches us from 
the Old English, gast. In the present English 
we do not speak of a “gast,” but of a “gust,” 
or blast of wind. At Pentecost the Holy 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


13 


Ghost appeared as a “rushing, mighty wind.” 
(Acts ii. 2.) He, therefore, is no other than 
the Holy Gust, or Holy Spirit. The late Bible 
revisers were not agreed as to the use of the 
two sets of terms. The English division pre¬ 
ferred a general use of “Holy Ghost,” while 
the American division preferred a uniform use 
of “Holy Spirit.” The Revised New Testa¬ 
ment, therefore, usually reads “Holy Ghost” 
in the text, with “Holy Spirit” in the margin. 
(Matt. i. 18, etc,, X. V .) 


Chapter II. 


THE HOLY GHOST A PERSON. 

W HR Bible stamps the Holy Ghost, a Per¬ 
son. His personality completes the 
God-idea, and is the fulness of the Divine* 
Realism. Moreover, it lies at the foundation 
of his Divinity. He might be a person and 
yet not be Divine, but he must be a person if 
he be Divine. 

1. A leading definition of the word “per¬ 
son” is, “The corporeal manifestation of a 
soul.” But this does not apply in the present 
case, for, confessedly, God has neither cor¬ 
poreal existence nor parts. Yet another lead¬ 
ing definition of the term is, “A self-conscious 
being, a moral agent.” Here, assuredly, the 
Holy Ghost is discovered to be, a person. He 
is self-conscious of an Infinite Life. As such , 
he is a person , distinct from the Father and the 
Son. Yet he is not another being—one distinct 
from the Father and the Son —else there were 
three Gods instead of one. 

2. Theologians have sometimes applied the 
term “hypostasis,” instead of “person,” to 
express the mode of the Divine existence in the 

u 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


15 


Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. “ Hy¬ 
postasis” means “ substance, subsistance.” 
It undoubtedly would be more satisfactory than 
4i person,” could it be popularly applied ; but 
this is not likely to be the case. 

3. There is but one Divine Being—one 
Elohim , God—in whom their exists, not sepa¬ 
rately yet distinctly, three persons, or hypos¬ 
tases; namely, the Father, the Son, and the 
Holy Ghost. 

4. In the present age, the doctrines of the 
personality, and Divinity of the Holy Ghost are 
very much neglected in the Church; and it may 
t>e added, too nearly forgotten. It is true, 
they are still discoverable, though but briefly 
explained, in the standard books prepared for 
the ministry; but the average pulpit ministra¬ 
tion is singularly deficient in them. And the 
result is not strange; the most of Christians 
.are not acquainted with the Holy Ghost as a 
person, but simply regard him as a mighty in¬ 
fluence sent from God. 

A distinguished religious teacher once de¬ 
clared: “ Neither the Father as a Spirit, nor 
the Holy Ghost as a Spirit, has any such 
definite and clear personality in my imagina¬ 
tion as has Christ.” No doubt, this thought 
was a result of looking at God almost ex- 


16 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


clusively from the standpoint of incarnation. 
D. L. Moody says: “ I was a Christian a long 
time before I found out that the Holy Ghost 
was a person/* 

An heretical sect of the third century, 
founded by Sabellius, and hence called Sabel- 
lian, denied the distinctive personality of each, 
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. It 
taught that they were but emanations of the 
Godhead, or offices of it. The modern error 
is the same in kind, though it concerns the 
Holy Ghost alone. It is a half-way house to 
Sabellianism. 

But, thank God, there is an arrest of het¬ 
erodoxy. Within the present holiness move¬ 
ment, and skirting along its borders, there is 
manifestly a coming back to primitive spirit¬ 
uality, and with it a more full and hearty 
recognition of the personality and Divinity of 
the Holy Ghost. 


Chapter III. 


THE NEW TESTAMENT DESIGNATING TERMS. 

^HE revelation of the fact and doctrine of 
^ the personality of the Holy Ghost is to 
be found in the Sacred Writings. The demand 
of Isaiah, “To the law and to the testimony,” 
is just here in point. Before making direct quo¬ 
tations on this subject, however, it is proper to 
arrive at an understanding of some of the 
terms and forms of speech which are employed 
in the New Testament original, to designate the 
Holy Ghost. Do these indicate personality, 
or do they not ? 

The expression of personality in the Greek— 
the original language of the New Testament— 
may be looked for, not only in the gender of 
the terms employed, but also in the general 
sense and bearing of those passages in which 
the terms are found. 

The observations here made must be more 
in the nature of simple statements and results 
of study, than of research and argument. This 
is necessary in order to avoid confusion in the 
minds of those who are unskilled in the critical 
use of language. These statements and results 


2 


17 


18 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


are drawn from various sources, and especially 
are due to the kind labors of a competent 
scholar, J. E. Tiffany, who has thoroughly 
studied the subject for the present work. 

1. Real or natural gender lies in the nature 
of the object designated. Thus “boy” is nat¬ 
urally and necessarily masculine, “girl” is 
naturally and necessarily feminine, and “stone” 
is naturally and necessarily neuter. But there 
is also in various languages what is known as 
grammatical gender. The following will ex¬ 
plain this matter: Those Greek nouns are nat¬ 
urally masculine or feminine which are used to 
designate the sexes; but those are also gram¬ 
matically masculine, though denoting objects 
which are neither male nor female, which take 
adjectives of the form appropriated to nouns 
denoting the sexes. Grammatical gender is 
undoubtedly, “in most cases, the product of 
the imagination of a rude age, when language 
was in the course of growth. Thus, a river 
was seen, or a wind felt, as a living creature, 
violent and strong, and so is masculine; the 
earth, or a country or city, seems the mother 
of progeny; the tree shelters and ripens its 
fruit, as a brooding bird its nest of eggs; 
and to this day a ship is always referred to by 
a feminine pronoun. The rules of grammatical 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


19 


gender only respect and extend these early 
workings of fancy.” (Allen and Greenough.') 

The grammatical gender of a word is often 
different in different languages. Thus, the 
word ‘ 4 spirit,” which is used of the Holy 
Spirit, or Holy Ghost, is masculine in Latin, 
feminine in Hebrew, and neuter in Greek. 

When we look into a Greek lexicon for the 
gender of any word, we are not certain whether 
it is the natural or grammatical gender until 
we decide the fact by the sense, or relation of 
the word to the rest of the sentence. 

2. The proofs of the personality of the 
HolpGhost, as derived from the Greek of the 
New Testament, rest upon the gender of the 
words “ Holy Ghost; ” upon the gender of the 
other terms used in connection with the words 
“ Holy Ghost; ” upon the gender of the pro¬ 
nouns referring to the Holy Ghost; and upon 
the relation of certain terms used in connection 
with the words “ Holy Ghost.” These proofs 
will be considered in the order given. 

3. The gender of the words “ Holy Ghost f 
■or “ Holy Spirit .” The word “ spirit ” (Gr., 
pneuma'), both in classical and New Testament 
Greek, is neuter. The reason of this probably 
is, that it applies not only to things animate 
but inanimate; as breath, wind, a tempest, 


20 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


breathing, breath of life, life, or soul. In the 
Scriptures generally it applies to inspiration, 
the Holy Spirit, a spirit, a spiritual being; and 
in the New Testament, sometimes to a demon. 
{Pickering's Lexicon .) “ Spirit,” being neuter 

in form, may require a qualifying adjective to 
designate the real or natural gender in the con¬ 
nection in which it is used. 

The word “holy” {Gr., hagios'), which is 
used as the qualifying adjective with “ spirit,” 
according to the nature of the language, may 
be masculine, feminine, or neuter. 

There are ninety places in the New ^Testa¬ 
ment where the term “ Holy Ghost ” is used ; 
and were it not for the peculiarity noticed as 
regards grammatical gender, it would naturally 
always be masculine. In sixty of the cases 
mentioned, we have a right to give the trans¬ 
lation of the sentence where it occurs, the 
masculine form. In the remaining thirty, the 
term is grammatically neuter; but the con¬ 
nections clearly indicate the masculine, and 
also personality generally. For instance, in 
Mark iii. 29; xiii. 11; Luke ii. 25; iii. 22; 
xii. 10, 12 ; Acts i. 16 ; ii. 4 ; v. 3, 32 ; xiii. 2 ; 
xx. 23, 28; xxi. 11; xxviii. 25; Heb. iii. 7; 
x. 15; 1 John v, 7. 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


21 


4. The gender of other terms used in con¬ 
nection with the words “ Holy Ghost." The 
word “ Comforter” (Gr., Parakletos '), which is 
descriptive of the Holy Ghost, or in apposition 
with the term “Holy Ghost,” is always mascu¬ 
line in the Greek. It is used in four passages of 
the New Testament. In John xiv. 16, it is de¬ 
scriptive, thus: “ And I will pray the Father, 
and he shall give you another Comforter.” 
In John xiv. 26, it is used in apposition, thus : 
“ But the Comforter, the Holy Ghost.” In 
John xv. 26, the terms are again in apposition, 
thus : “ But when the Comforter is come, the 
Spirit of Truth.” In John xvi. 7, it is again 
descriptive, thus : “ For if I go not away, the 
Comforter will not come.” 

Another term used to designate the Holy 
Ghost is “ Spirit of Truth.” In John xiv. 17 
and xv. 26, it is used in apposition with “ Com¬ 
forter.” In John xvi. 13, it refers to “ Com¬ 
forter,” as found in verse 7. In all of these 
places the original Greek indicates personality. 

5. The gender of the pronouns referring to 
the Holy Ghost . The Greek pronouns referring 
to the Holy Ghost are few in number. Some 
of them, by the nature of the language, are 
hidden in the termination of the verb, or in a 
participle. Some relatives, agreeing with the 


22 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


nearest antecedent, are neuter. But sometimes 
they indicate personality ; and whenever such 
is the case, they are of the masculine gender. 
To illustrate : in John xvi. 8 : “ And when he 
is come, he will reprove,” etc.; the first “he” 
is contained in the participle, and the second 
is in the pronoun form, and is masculine. The 
passage would properly read thus : “ And 
coming, he will reprove,” etc. Again, in John 
xvi. 13 : “ When he, the Spirit of Truth, is 
come, he will guide you into all truth,” etc.; 
the first “he” is in pronoun form, and mas¬ 
culine, while the second is contained in the 
verb. Other illustrations might be given, but 
these are sufficient to fully present the thought. 

6. Certain terms used in connection with the 
words “Holy Ghost.” In John xiv. 26: the 
original word for “Comforter” is masculine, 
“Spirit” is neuter, and “he” is masculine. 
In John xv. 26: “Comforter” is masculine, 
“ Spirit ” is neuter, “ Truth ” is feminine, and 
“he” is masculine. Here is a clear illustra¬ 
tion of the discrepancy in gender of the differ¬ 
ent words referring to the same thing. But as 
the general sense demands personality, and 
“Comforter” is personal in form, it follows 
that the “Comforter,” the “Spirit,” and the 
“ Spirit of Truth ”—all being the same—are 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 2£ 

given an indelible personal character; and in 
the English, the pronoun referring to them is 
rightly “he,” and not “it.” In John xvi. 7: 
the original word for “Comforter” is again 
masculine, and personal, and “him” is mas¬ 
culine. In John xvi. 13 : the original of 
“Spirit” is neuter, “Truth” is feminine, 
“himself” is masculine, and the other pro¬ 
nouns are hidden in the verb. In the next 
verse: the first “he” is masculine, while 
“ he shall receive ” and “ shall show ” are en¬ 
tirely in the verb-form. 

From the above observations we are possessed 
of the following conclusive facts : 

1. The word “ Comforter,” in the original, 
is always masculine, and indicates personality. 

2. The word “Spirit,” in its grammatical 
form, is neuter; but when qualified by the 
word “ Holy,” it might be translated as mas¬ 
culine, feminine, or neuter. Yet its relation 
to other words and terms in the Greek Scrip¬ 
tures always indicates personality. 

3. The term “ Spirit of Truth/’ which is in 
apposition with “Comforter,” indicates per¬ 
sonality. 

4. The personal pronouns, where they refer 
to “Comforter” or “Spirit of Truth,” of 
course indicate personality. 


24 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


5. The relative pronouns also, when they 
refer to ‘‘Comforter” or “Spirit of Truth,” 
indicate personality. 

All of these facts , taken together , conclusively 
prove to the candid mind , that in the original 
Greek of the New Testament, the Holy Ghost is 
recorded and revealed to us as a person . 


Chapter IV. 


THE SCRIPTURAL VIEW. 

the Holy Ghost is abundantly more 
^ than a mere thing, or influence, or even 
an attribute of God, and is possessor of the 
higher attributes of personal existence, is gath¬ 
ered from the following Scriptural facts : 

1. He speaks. “ Because ye are sons, God 
hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our 
hearts, crying, Abba, Father.” “ Well spake 
the Holy Ghost by Esais ; ” that is, by Isaiah. 
“The Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas 
and Saul for the work whereunto I have called 
them.” “The Spirit and the Bride say, 
Come.” (Gal. iv. 6; Acts xxviii. 25; xiii. 2; 
Rev. xxii. 17. See also Matt. x. 20; Mark 

xiii. 11 ; Acts i. 16 ; xxi. 11 Heb. iii. 7; Rev. 

xiv. 13.) 

2. He witnesses. And witnessing, be it 
understood, is only a form or expansion of 
speech. “The Spirit itself (. R. V., himself) 
beareth witness with our spirit, that we are 
the children of God.” “ By one offering he 


25 


26 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


hath perfected forever them that are sanctified; 
whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to 
us.” “ And we ”—Peter and the other apostles 
—“ are his witnesses of these things; and so 
also is the Holy Ghost.” (Rom. viii. 16; 
Heb. x. 14, 15 ; Acts v. 32. See also 2 Cor. 
iii. 3 ; John xv. 26 ; xvi. 13, 14 ; Acts xx. 23 ; 
Heb. ix. 8.) 

3. He teaches. Teaching, also, is usually 
in the form of speech ; but it is much more 
than speech. “ The Holy Ghost shall teach 
you in the same hour what ye ought to say.” 
“ But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, 
whom the Father will send in my name, he 
shall teach you all things,” etc. (Luke xii. 
12; John xiv. 26. See also 1 Cor. ii. 13; 
1 John ii. 27.) 

4. He is grieved , or vexed. “ They rebelled, 
and vexed (A\ V., grieved) his Holy Spirit.” 
“ Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, where¬ 
by ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” 
(Isa. lxiii. 10 ; Eph. iv. 30.) 

5. He holds fellowship with men. This is 
shown in the promises of Jesus, in John xiv., 
xv., xvi. And further: “ If there be any con¬ 
solation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if 
any fellowship of the Spirit,” etc., “fulfill 
ye my joy.” (Phil. ii. 1, 2. See also 2 Cor., 
xiii. 14.) 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


27 


Thus we behold the Holy Ghost, distinctively, 
a person. As such he speaks and witnesses, 
he teaches and feels, and holds fellowship with 
men. He is the Personal God, in behalf of 
God; the Personal God, to the world of sin¬ 
ners ; the Personal God, for the children of 
God ; and the Personal God, in the children of 
God. 


Chapter V. 

THE HOLY GHOST IS GOD. 

JM MEN, and amen; the Holy Ghost is God. 

To this affirmation we have the irre¬ 
fragable testimony of Holy Scripture. And this 
testimony is the verification and illumination 
of the experience of many of the most devoted 
children of God. 

1. The Holy Ghost is the controlling factor 
in the universe. He made and governs the 
worlds. He is Lord of heaven and earth. 

2. The Holy Ghost is the God of contact 
and manifestation. He makes human life con¬ 
scious to its possessors ; he reveals ourselves to 
ourselves. He is also the revealer of the 
Father and the Son to the child of grace. 
And, finally, he manifests himself to the saint. 

3. The Holy Ghost touches the sinner, the 
one dead in trespasses and sins, into con¬ 
viction. He likewise touches the penitent 
child of sin into a happy child of , God. He 
shows the truly justified believer in Jesus the 
exceeding sinfulness of inborn depravity; then, 
leading him to reckon himself dead indeed un¬ 
to it, he seals to his heart the blood of Christ, 


28 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


29 


that cleanseth from all sin. The Holy Ghost 
imparts the joy of full salvation. He comes 
into the sanctified heart, revealing himself 
there as a person; and there he designs to 
abide forever. We revel in him, and in his 
love ; we feast on him, and his graces ; we are 
“filled with the Holy Ghost.” Let us give 
him our unceasing praises. Amen. 

The Scriptural proofs, already given, of the 
personality of the Holy Ghost, are proofs, in 
part, of his supreme Divinity. But let us pro¬ 
ceed further: 

1. The Holy Ghost is God —because it is 
written, as a summary : “ There is One Spirit.” 
(Eph. iv. 4.) There are spirits innumerable, 
yet none of them could have been intended in 
this place save the Holy Spirit. He is of such 
infinite substance, and is therefore so lifted 
above the spirits of all created intelligences, 
that, with an inspired emphasis, he is denom¬ 
inated the “One Spirit.” Now our Lord, 
while preaching at Jacob’s well, said : “ The 
God is Spirit.” (John iv. 24.) The common 
rendering ,is, “ God is a Spirit; ” but the 
original is, Pneuma , the Theos, literally, “ Spir¬ 
it, the God;” so it is properly rendered as 
above: “The God is Spirit.” The construc¬ 
tion of the context indicates an argument 


30 


. THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


primarily for the spiritual nature of God; God, 
in his unity.and entirety, is Spirit; yet Jesus 
went on to say: “They that worship him 
must worship him in Spirit and in truth.” 
Not merely, it appears, in the truth of their 
own hearts, but in the Holy Spirit; exactly as 
it is said of John on Patmos, that he was “ in 
the Spirit on the Lord’s day.” (Rev. i. 10.) 

2. The Holy Ghost is eternal. “For if the 
blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an 
heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the 
purifying of the flesh ; how much more shall 
the blood of Christ, who through the Eternal 
Spirit offered himself without spot to God, 
purge your conscience from dead works to serve 
the living God.” (Heb. ix. 13, 14.) There 
can be no higher mark of the Divinity of the 
Holy Ghost than his eternity; and here we 
have it. The Holy Ghost, like the Father and 
the Son, is from eternity. 

3. The Holy Ghost is omnipotent. “Whither 
shall I go from thy Spirit ? or whither shall I 
flee from thy presence?” “The Spirit search- 
eth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” 
Also, as showing the omniscience of the Spirit, 
we read : “ For what man knoweth the things of 
a man, save the spirit of man which is in him ? 
even so the things of God knoweth no man, but 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


31 


the Spirit of God.” (Psa. cxxxix. 7; 1 Cor. 
ii. 11.) 

4. The Holy Ghost is the Creator of all 
things. Of creation’s early day, it is written : 
“ And darkness was upon the face of the deep ; 
and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of 
the waters ; and God said, let there be light; 
and there was light.” From this account we 
learn how it happened that, at the word of 
Jesus, the desperate waves of the little sea of 
Galilee were stilled into a “ great calm.” The 
Holy Ghost, who, through the gloom that cov¬ 
ered those greater waters, had poured in his 
morning light, now pressed down upon the 
whole surface of the lake of Gennesaret, and 
lo ! its surface became smooth and calm, like 
the heart of Jesus. “ Thou sendest forth thy 
Spirit, they are created.” Who are here de¬ 
clared to be created by the Spirit of God? Why, 
these things: the “heavens,” “angels,” the 
Xl foundations of the earth,” all fowls, and all 
beasts. (Gen. i. 2, 3 ; Matt. viii. 24-27 ; Psa. 
civ. 30, and also verses 2, 4, 14, 19, 20. And 
see Isa. xxxii. 15 ; Rev. xi. 11.) 

The Holy Spirit is, emphatically, the Creator 
of spiritual life. “The Spirit,” says Paul, 
“ giveth life.” And our Savior says : “ Except 
xi man be born of water, and of the Spirit, he 


32 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” (2 
Cor. iii. 6 ; John iii. 5. See also Rom. viii. 2, 
10 .) 

5. The Holy Ghost is the Ruler of all things . 

“ Not by might, nor by power, but by my 
Spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.” ‘‘So they, 
being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed 
into Selucia.” “They were forbidden of the 
Holy Ghost to preach the Word in Asia.” 
“Take heed, therefore, unto yourselves, and 
to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost 
hath made you overseers.” (Zech. iv. 6 ; Acts 
xiii. 4; xvi. 6; xx. 28. See also Acts xv. 28.) 
By way of benediction, Paul says : “ Now 

the God of hope fill you with ail joy and peace 
in believing, that ye may abound in hope 
through the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Rom. 
xv. 13.) 

6. The Holy Ghost is the Author of inspira¬ 
tion. Such was the case in the earlier prophetic 
days. The apostle Peter declares broadly : 
“ The prophecy came not in old time by the 
will of man ; but holy men of God spake as 
they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 
Peter i. 21. See also Num. xi. 25-29; 2 Kings 
ii. 15; Neh. ix. 30; Isa. xlviii. 16; lix. 21; 
Micah iii. 8; Zech. vii. 12, and many other 
passages.) 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


33 


Our Lord Jesus Christ himself was inspired 
by the Holy Ghost. He declares : “ The Spirit 
of the Lord is upon me, because he hath 
anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor,” 
etc. (Luke iv. 17-22. See also Isa. xi. 2; 
lxi. 1 ; Matt. xii. 28; Luke iv. 14, 15.) 

The disciples were inspired by the Holy 
Ghost. “It is not ye that speak, but the Spirit 
of your Father, which speaketh in you.” 
“Unto us they did minister the things which 
are now reported unto you, with the Holy Ghost 
sent down from heaven.” “And my speech 
and my preaching was not with enticing words 
of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the 
Spirit, and of Power.” “ Our sufficiency is of 
God ; who also hath made us able ministers of 
the New Testament; not of the letter, but of 
the Spirit.” (Matt. x. 20 ; 1 Peter i. 10-12; 
1 Cor. ii. 4 ; 2 Cor. iii. 5, 6.) 


Chapter VI. 


BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST. 

Lord forcibly establishes the supreme 
Divinity of the Holy Ghost, when he as¬ 
serts the finality of the penalty which is inflicted 
upon those who blaspheme against him. The 
record of the first Gospel on this subject is as 
follows: “All manner of sin and blasphemy 
shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy 
against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven 
unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word 
against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven 
him; but whosoever speaketh against the Holy 
Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in 
this world, neither in the world to come.” 
The record of the second Gospel is as follows: 
■“Verily, I say unto you, all sin shall be forgiven 
unto men, and blasphemies wherewithsoever 
they shall blaspheme; but he that blasphemeth 
against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, 
but is in danger of eternal damnation; because 
they said, he hath an unclean spirit.” (Matt, 
xii. 31, 32; Mark iii. 28-30.) 

1. Much ink has been poured out on the 
subject of the sin against the Holy Ghost. But 

84 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


35 


it is not so very far removed from sight, nor so 
very difficult to be understood. Mark explains 
it in a single sentence: “Because they said, 
he hath an unclean spirit.” Matthew and Mark 
probably have the same miracle in view. Jesus 
had just cast out a demon, and the Pharisees 
coolly ascribed the wonderful work to “ Beelze¬ 
bub, the prince of the demons.” Then Jesus 
showed them the absurdity of Beelzebub de¬ 
stroying his own house, and declared that what 
he himself had done was “ by (in) the Spirit of 
God.” Then with a “wherefore,” as a con¬ 
necting link, he declared that the Pharisaic 
ascription of his work to the prince of evil 
spirits was blasphemy. Not blasphemy, as¬ 
suredly not, against the work itself, for that 
were an absurdity ; nor blasphemy against the 
visible human agent, the Son of Man, for we 
are informed that all sin against him could be 
forgiven; but blasphemy against the real worker, 
the God within him, and moving out of him in 
such mighty power, which was the “ Spirit of 
God,” the “Holy Ghost.” It was blasphemy 
to attribute the miracles of Jesus to an unclean 
spirit , when knowingly they should have attributed 
them to the * ‘ Finger of God , ’ ’ the Holy Ghost . 
(Luke xi. 20.) 


36 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


2. The Holy Ghost, at the word of Jesus, 
drove the demon out of the dumb and blind 
man. And not only so, but he effectively 
taught the Pharisees the grand fact of the Di¬ 
vinity of the miracle ; so much so that they per¬ 
fectly well understood the substantial truth of 
the matter. They had a spiritual, a conscious, 
a real knowledge of it. The miracle-working 
power present worked upon their souls, and 
pressed upon them the truth of God. Notwith¬ 
standing this, they lied about it. They did so 
in the face of the truth within them, in the face 
of the people, and in the face of Christ. This 
was the blasphemy decried—the blasphemy 
against the Holy Ghost. 

3. The Pharisees were engaged in that work 
of hypocrisy and detraction which they pursued 
to the end. It was the same which finally com¬ 
pelled the holy Stephen, preaching to them in the 
demonstration of the Holy Ghost, to hurl the 
fearful truth in their teeth: “ Ye stiffnecked 
and uncircumcised in heart, ye do always resist 
the Holy Ghost ! ” (Acts vii. 51.) 

4. Now it is asked, is this unpardonable 
blasphemy possible at the present day? By the 
main conditions of the case, it certainly appears 
to be so. The Holy Ghost now, as in the days 
of the incarnation and of Stephen, can effect- 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 37 

ively teach to men the Divine character of the 
various extraordinary works of grace ; and the 
wicked may as effectively deny the truth which 
they are made to know as ever before, and thus 
blaspheme against the Holy Ghost. (Rom. i. 
18.) Moreover, such blasphemy is probable as 
well as possible. To go very far in considering 
particular instances of daring sin, so as to as¬ 
certain whether they be unpardonable or not, 
may be unprofitable; but it is right and profit¬ 
able to understand it as a fact, that when great 
sins are committed against superior spiritual 
light and power—in other words, against the 
Holy Ghost—those committing them are travel¬ 
ing out into those fearfully forbidden regions, 
where the Holy Ghost takes his final departure, 
and leaves them utterly hardened and hopeless 
to the end. 

Heb. x. 26-31, describes the sin of ‘‘despite 
unto the Spirit of Grace,” with its “sorer 
punishment,” which is evidently a cognate of 
the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. 
Though the words here referred to appear dark 
and forbidding to many, they can be illumi¬ 
nated, and found agreeable to what is termed the 
“ analogy of faith.” Verse 26 reads : “ For if 
we sin willfully after that we have received the 
knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no 


38 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


more sacrifice for sins.” Verse 29 tells us why 
this is so : “Of how much sorer punishment 
shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden 
under foot the Son of God, and hath counted 
the blood of the convenant, wherewith he was 
sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done 
despite unto the Spirit of Grace.” This last 
clause, “hath done despite unto the Spirit of 
Grace,” is the key to the malediction. It was 
by the Spirit of Grace, the Holy Ghost, that 
the “knowledge” spoken of in verse 26 was 
received; not a knowledge of the words of 
Christ by mere human testimony, but by the 
inwrought testimony of the Spirit. The “ de¬ 
spite” mentioned, then, and which demands 
a “ sorer punishment ” than any other kind of 
sin, is that of rejecting the light which the 
Holy Ghost sheds on the atonement, and the 
work of Christ in the soul; and, no doubt, 
attributing the latter to other than its real 
cause. There can be no salvation for him who 
commits such a sin; certainly not until he 
retraces his downward steps, re-acknowledges 
Christ and the work of the Spirit, and seeks 
pardon again, and life from the dead. 


Chapter VII. 


THE TRIUNITY OF GOD. 

"^g&J^HAT is the nature of God? what is 
the manner of his existence? In the 
first place, it is accepted on all hands that 
God is one. There is but one God; he is 
one being only. Yet this Elohim , this one 
supreme “ being” exists in three personal 
forms—the Father, the Son and the Holy 
Ghost. 

1. “ There is but one living and true God,” 

says the old creed, “without body or parts; 
of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the 
Maker and Preserver of all things, visible and 
invisible.” The heathen have always believed 
in a plurality of gods. On this account the Old 
Testament deals particularly and largely with 
the subject of the Eternal Unity. This is 
Monotheism against Polytheism ; and as such 
it is and ever must be the foundation of dll our 
hopes. There are not two gods, a good and an 
evil one, parallel together, as taught by the 
Manichees ; but there is one only God, homo¬ 
geneous in nature, and opposed to all moral 
evil. 


40 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


2. But the New Testament, more especially 
than the Old, reveals three distinct but insep 
arable persons in the one Jehovah, God. So 
plain is this fact, that a prominent teacher of 
religion, some years ago, thus expressed him¬ 
self : “ I believe that God the Father, God the 
Son, and God the Holy Ghost, have a person¬ 
ality so separate that if the fact of unity had 
not been announced, the whole world would 
have been obliged to regard them as three 
Gods; that is, to believe in tri-theism. I 
should believe in tri-theism did I not find the 
simple statement that these three personal Gods 
are one. Aforetime the mystery of the Trinity 
was, how one could be-three. The emphasis 
was wrongly placed. The New Testament 
teaches three persons ; in my view, the unity of 
the three is an unexplained but positive fact.” 
In the Arian heresy of the fourth century, the 
Father was believed to be the supreme God, yet 
the Son and Spirit were more than mere angels ; 
and history informs us of a serious apprehension 
lest this error should lead still further backward 
to the belief of the heathen, by whom the 
Church was everywhere surrounded, that there 
is a plurality of Gods. 

3. The Father is the fountain of Deity. 
This statement is so natural that it is not hard 
to be understood and believed. 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


41 


4. The Son is the Son of the Father by an 
eternal generation, or filiation. Nothing is 
more plain than that God has a Son. Christ is 
the “ Son of God ; ” and if the Son, then he 
is of the nature of God, he is God. The rela¬ 
tionship of the two must be eternal; for God 
is “ the same, yesterday, to-day and forever.” 

5. The Holy Ghost is God. He is so by 
an eternal procession. He proceedeth from 
the Father and the Son. He is not only the 
“ Spirit of God,” but the “ Spirit of Christ.” 
This doctrine is plainly expressed by our Lord : 
“When the Comforter is come, whom I will 
send unto you from the Father,” etc. (John 
xv. 26. See Psa. civ. 30.) 

6. Although the old creeds cannot be 
received as real authority for our faith and 
practice, yet they are sometimes an excellent 
epitome and formulary. In the creed of the 
General Council of the Church, held A. D. 381, 
at Constantinople, we find he following : “We 
believe in the Holy Ghost, who is Lord and 
Giver of life, and proceedeth from the. Father 
[and the Son] ; who, with the Father and the 
Son together, is worshiped and glorified.” 
The clause in brackets was added at a subse¬ 
quent date by the Western or Latin Church. 
What is commonly called the Athanasian creed 


42 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


was written by a later hand than that of Athan¬ 
asius, say, in the seventh century. It declares : 
“ The Holy Ghost is God of the Father and the 
Son ; not made, neither created nor begotten, 
but proceeding.” And such has been the 
general orthodox belief of the Christian world 
to the present day. 

7. Agreeably to the doctrine of procession 

is the following expression of Christ concern¬ 
ing the work of the Holy Ghost : “ He shall 

not speak from himself; but whatsoever he 
shall hear, that shall he speak.” (John xvi. 
13.) The Common Translation of this passage 
renders the first clause, “ of himself; ” but the 
Revised Version corrects it, “from himself.” 
This is agreeable to the Greek, and to the con¬ 
text. Some have quoted the Common Version, 
as proving that the Holy Ghost never speaks 
“of” (about) himself; but as the Inspirer of 
the whole Word of God, he certainly does so, 
yet “ from ” both the Father and the Son. 

8. There is a peculiarity about the relation¬ 
ship of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, which 
is seldom touched upon. The Holy Ghost is 
the bond of union and element of communion 
between the Father and the Son. After the 
author had received Scriptural and spiritual 
light on this fact, the discovery was made that 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 43 

Augustine, as far back as the fifth century, 
“ Represented the Holy .Ghost as the love and 
fellowship between the Father and the Son, and 
the bond which unites the two.” (Schaff's 
Ch. Hist.') 

In getting at this point, let us turn to the 
great prayer of Christ. In it he says : “ And 

now, O Father, glorify thou me, with thine own 
self, with the Glory which I had with thee before 
the world was.” (John xvii. 5.) Of course,, 
this prayer was answered. Now Peter says that 
“ God raised him ”—that is, the Father raised 
Christ—“ from the dead, and gave him Glory.” 
(1 Peter i. 21.) The term “glory” signifies 
an excellency manifested ; so that the Glory 
which the Father and the Son enjoyed together 
“before the world was,” and the return to 
which Christ prayed for, and Peter and others 
say was accomplished, was none other than the 
manifestation of the excellency of the Father 
and the Son, from each to the other. In other 
words, it was the fellowship of the Father and 
the Son together. The “ Glory” did not oblit¬ 
erate but rather distinguished their distinctive 
personalities, and by it they possessed together 
an infinite enjoyment. 

But what is this “ Glory,” by which even the 
Godhead is cemented together ? Let us look a 


44 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


moment. “ If ye be reproached for the name 
of Christ,” says Peter, “ happy are ye ; for the 
Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you.” 
{1 Peter iv. 14.) The Revised Version has it : 
“ The Spirit of Glory^, and the Spirit of God ; ” 
and the original is understood to intensify the 
latter rendering. The “Spirit of Glory” and the 
“ Spirit of God” are thus identified, and are 
found to be nothing else than the Holy Ghost. 
(See also Rom. vi. 4 ; John xvii. 22.) Thus it 
is the Holy Ghost which links the Father 
and the Son together in an effable and eternal 
union. 

9. We are informed that the incarnation of 
the Son of God was by the Holy Ghost. (Matt, 
i. 18.) And it was “ through the Eternal 
Spirit” that the incarnate Christ “ offered him¬ 
self without spot (fault) to God.” (Heb. ix. 
14.) And it must ever be remembered, that 
the sacrifice upon Calvary is nugatory and vain, 
except by the immediate operation of the same 
Eternal Spirit upon sinful hearts ; convicting 
them, leading them to Jesus, and saving them 
to God and eternal life. (John xvi. 8 ; Rev. 
xxii. 17 ; 1 Peter i. 2.) 

10. In “The Oriental Christ,” Kesliub 
Chunder Sen is credited with a vivid pen-pict¬ 
uring of the Triunity of God. (From it the 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


45 


accompanying engraving has been drawn.) It is 
not necessary that we accept of his every shade 
of thought, but only of the main facts of the 
case as he has presented them. He says : 
“ Here you have the complete triangular figure 
of the Trinity; three profound truths, the 
Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; making 
up the harmonious whole of 
the economy of salvation. 
Look at this clear triangu¬ 
lar figure with the eye of 
faith, and study its deep 
mathematics. The apex is 
the very God, Jehovah. 
Alone in his eternal glory 
he dwells. From him comes 
down the Son, in a direct 
line, an emanation of Div¬ 
inity. Thus, God descends and touches one 
end of the base of humanity ; then, running 
all along that base, permeates the world ; and 
then, by the power of the Holy Ghost, 
drags up regenerated humanity to himself. 
Divinity coming down to humanity , is the Son ; 
Divinity carrying up humanity , is the Holy 
Ghost. This is the whole philosophy of salva¬ 
tion. Such is the short story of human 
redemption. How beautiful ! The Father 


FATHER 




46 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


continually manifests his wisdom and mercy in 
creation, till they take the form of sonship in 
Christ; and then, out of one little Seed-Christ, 
is evolved a whole harvest of endless and ever 
multiplying christs. God coming down and 
going up—this is creation, this is salvation. In 
this plain figure of three lines you have the 
solution of a vast problem. The Father, the 
Son, the Holy Ghost; the Creator, the Exam- 
pier, and the Sanctifier; I am, I love, I save; 
the Still God, the Journeying God, the Return¬ 
ing God, Force, Wisdom, Holiness ; the True, 
the Good, the Beautiful; Sat , Chit , Ananda, 
Truth, Intelligence, Joy.” 


Chapter VIII. 


THE APOSTOLIC BENEDICTION. 


Apostolic Benediction embodies a 
^ well-chosen expression of the Personal¬ 
ity and Divinity of the Holy Ghost. It shows 
the relationship of the persons of the Godhead 
to each other, and to the children of God. It 
reads as follows: 4 ‘The Grace of the Lord 
Jesus Christ, and the Love of God, and the 
Communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you 
all.” (2 Cor./xiii. 14.) 

This Benediction is a model of brevity and 
comprehensiveness. It offers the joint blessings 
of God ; these are officially pronounced by the 
apostle of God; and they are addressed to the 
people of God. These blessings are every one 
of them such as God only can give ; and yet 
they are announced as coming from three dis¬ 
tinct personalities—each one named—the Fath¬ 
er, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Thus the 
Holy Ghost, equally with the Father and the 
Son, is assigned Divine relationships and mani¬ 
festations. If the Holy Ghost is not truly and 
properly God, than the Apostolic Benediction 
is deceptive and untrue. 


47 


48 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


It will be proper to analyze the language of 
this Benediction somewhat, and learn its spe¬ 
cific import. We shall find in it the following : 

1. The second member or form of words is 

this : “ The Love of God.” As is usually the 

case when the name, “ God,” alone is used, 
this refers to the Father. It expresses precisely 
what God is toward us. The Love of God is 
the offering of God toward man. 

2. The first member or form of words is 

this : “ The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.” 

This expresses precisely what Go'd is for us. 
The Grace of God is the actual offering of God 

FOR MAN. 

3. The third member or form of words is 

this : “ The Communion of the Holy Ghost.” 

This expresses precisely what God is in us. 
The Communion of God is the Love and Grace 
of God in realization—the Divine residence and 
fellowship IN MAN. 

The original word, koinonia , rendered “com¬ 
munion,” means, “ The act of using a thing in 
common.” {Young.') “ Joint participation.” 
( Wilson.) “ Communion, community.” ( Lid¬ 
dell and Scott.) 

Communion, fellowship, is the acme of the 
intelligent universe. Even holiness, as desir- 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


49 


able as it certainly is as an end, is but a means 
to a final end ; and this finality is the fellow¬ 
ship of God and man. The Apostolic Bene¬ 
diction authoritatively pronounces this fellow¬ 
ship, and does it with the highest emphasis. 

The “ Communion of the Holy Ghost,” on 
our part, is the result of his immediate opera¬ 
tion upon the heart, whereby we are made to 
feel the “Love” of the Father, and the 
“ Grace” of the Son, while at the same time 
an answering love springs up within us. We 
thus come to “know” the Father, as such, 
and the Son, as such. (John xvii. 3.) This 
“ Communion of the Holy Ghost ” is also the 
result of his operation upon the heart, whereby 
we feel his presence, and enjoy his fellowship. 
That is, we come to realize or “know” the 
Holy Ghost as a Divine person. Nothing less 
than this fills up the measure of the Apostolic 
Benediction, nor of the end and happiness of 
man. Yet how few understand it !, 

1. The priestly benediction, recited in Num. 
vi. 24-26, perhaps illustrates in some measure 
the doctrine of the Apostolic Benediction. Yet 
this is so faintly done as not here to require 
any particular consideration. 

2. In the present connection, let us briefly 
consider the following text : “ Blessed be God, 


4 


50 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the 
Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.” 
(2 Cor. i. 3.) Here the three-fold character 
of God is brought to view, precisely as in the 
Apostolic Benediction. The two first points, 
the fatherhood of God and the grace of God, 
are found sheltered under the terms, “the 
Father,” and “our Lord Jesus Christ;” the 
cross of Christ being the offering of the Father’s 
“mercies.” The third point, the person and 
work of the Holy Ghost, is included in the 
term, “the God of all comfort.” The apostle 
may here refer to the promise of our Lord that 
he would send the Comforter; and he un¬ 
doubtedly refers to the work of that Comforter, 
which is the Communion of the Holy Ghost. 

3. Various Christians of eminent spiritual 
obtainment have testified to distinct communion 
with the Father, with the Son, and with the 
Holy Ghost. An instance of this kind is found 
in the record of Wm. Taylor, the missionary, 
as made at Loando, Africa, on returning from 
his first campaign in the Congo country, in the 
Autumn of 1885. He says : 

“ I have been accustomed to walk with God 
for forty-four years, without a break. Some¬ 
times I have had a special manifestation to my 
spirit of the Son of God, when it was my 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


51 


pleasure to perceive his distinct personality, 
and sit in his presence, and admire and adore 
him ; and in melting love sympathize with him 
in his stupendous undertaking of bringing our 
lost race back to God ; and feel the wish in my 
heart, ‘Oh that I could multiply myself into a 
thousand, and give a thousand years to Jesus !’ 

“At other times, a special manifestation of 
the personal Holy Ghost, and the amazing ‘love 
of the Spirit’ for a perishing world ; and in 
adoring love and sympathy, put myself entirely 
at his disposal, to illuminate and lead me ac¬ 
cording to his own infinite wisdom and love. 

“ But since I took charge of this expedition 
to Africa—with no less appreciation and admira¬ 
tion of the personal Jesus, and the personal 
Holy Sanctifier—I have walked all these 
months in the manifestation of the personal 
presence of God the Father; with enlarged 
perception of his wisdom, his love, his patience 
and forbearance ; his infinite desire to adjust 
the human conditions essential to the fulfill¬ 
ment of his covenant pledge to the Redeemer, 
‘ to give him the heathen for his inheritance, 
and the uttermost parts of the earth for his 
possession.’ I sit in his presence, and more 
than ever before, weep in adoring love.” 


Chapter IX. 


THE WORSHIP OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


Christian worships God. All men 
^ everywhere ought to worship him. As the 
Creator of this and all worlds, and especially as 
the Creator and Savior of men, to him belongs 
all obedience, love, praise, adoration, and 
worship. Everything which rightly belongs to 
supreme acknowledgment, of right belongs to 
God. Moreover, wherever God is found, and in 
whatever special personality he exists, there his 
earth-resident spiritual creatures may worship 
him, and of right ought to worship him. 

1. The Holy Ghost is God. Where this 
fact is sincerely accepted by man, it makes the 
Holy Ghost the object of the highest affection 
and reverence. Do we worship the Father? so 
we also worship the Son. Do we worship the 
Father and the Son ? so we also worship the 
Holy Ghost. No one can rightly deny to the 
child of God this blood-bought privilege. 
As well abandon the worship of the Infinite 
Father and of the Eternal Son, as to refuse to 
worship the Blessed Holy Ghost. 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


53 


2. Now, how do we worship God, directly oi 
indirectly? The answer must be, we worship 
him directly. It is never by proxy, but ever im¬ 
mediately, and from the heart. It is very true 
that worship is through the atonement; but it 
is not true that worship is sent up to God 
through the atonement. Rather, we ourselves 
go up to God, in our own proper personality, 
through the atonement. Thus and thus only 
God is worshiped in spirit and in truth ; and by 
this method and this only is man heard of God, 
and answered, and his soul is saved, and filled 
with eternal life. 

Ordinary Scriptural prayer is addressed to 
God, that is, to God the Father; yet not ex¬ 
clusively so. When the Father is addressed, it 
is done directly; yet ever recognizing the 
sacrifice and atonement of Christ. When the 
Son is addressed, it is done directly; and 
in so doing his merit and work are always 
recognized. And so when the Holy Ghost is 
addressed, it is done directly ; yet this is only 
lawful and available when, at least practically, it 
recognizes the sacrifice and atonement effected 
by our Lord. Christ the Savior ever must be 
lifted up, whether we address the Father, the 
Son, or the Holy Ghost. This is the law of 
all true Christian worship. 


54 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


As the Father hears and answers prayer, 
when made in the name of Jesus, so the Holy 
Ghost hears and answers prayer, when made in 
that all-powerful Name. The Holy Ghost must 
hear and answer prayer , when it is made in the 
name of Jesus; because the Holy Ghost is God. 

Some effective prayers do not distinctly 
mention the atonement ; yet the latter is 
understood. Nevertheless, it is well habitually 
to give specific recognition of Christ, lest we be 
misunderstood of men, or really forget our 
“ Great Atoning Sacrifice,” and fall into 
practical Unitarianism, to the neglect of our 
salvation. 

3. But is there no fanaticism in praying to 
the Holy Ghost? Not necessarily so. As the 
Holy Ghost is God, so he ought to be 
worshiped as God; yet without error and dis¬ 
order. But it is true that fanaticism some¬ 
times connects itself with the worship of the 
Holy Ghost, or his assumed worship ; and this, 
too, of an alarming character. 

Now there is no appreciable distance be¬ 
tween wild-fire and true worship. Though so 
different and so opposite, they are only 
separated by a line. But the true worship of 
the Holy Ghost is not to be neglected, denied, 
or decried, simply because some professors of 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


55 


Christianity cross this line. It is very proper to 
become acquainted with the dangers of the case, 
but still to hold to the true faith and practice. 
Here is wisdom. 

Fanaticism in the direction of the Holy Ghost, 
lies in such a belief of his character, and in such 
an attempted communion with him, as purposely 
or practically leads to the neglect of the Father 
and the Son, as God, and the Atonement as the 
means of reaching God. Though it is true that 
for a time we may be led to a special contempla¬ 
tion of the Holy Ghost, and to his worship, 
yet if we go so far as in any measure to dis¬ 
credit the majesty of the Father or of the Son, 
and so think lightly of communion with them, 
then the boundary line between truth and 
error, worship and fanaticism, is crossed. 

The beginning of the error lies in professed 
prayer to the Holy Ghost without recourse to 
Jesus. He who neglects Jesus neglects the 
Atonement, and neglects God. To conclude 
that we can get along very well without having 
so much to do directly with Jesus, that we may 
commune the more with the Holy Ghost, is to 
open the door to all demoralizing slander on the 
blessed God. Under • this guise wild-fire 
enters, in forms which are most hideous, and 
which of course are utterly destructive to the 
power of salvation. 


56 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


4. Prayer to the Holy Ghost is easily 
proved. Take these three facts : that he is 
Divine ; that he is the Comforter or Advocate ; 
and that he is appointed to the fellowship of 
the children of God. Together they form an 
irrefragable proof that prayer is to be made to 
him. Prayer, in fact, is a form of communion; 
or more accurately, it is found on the human 
side of it. As communion with the Spirit upon 
the basis of his Divinity is proved, so by similar 
reasoning and evidence is prayer to him effect¬ 
ively proved. 

5. There are no very clear instances in the 
New Testament of ordinary prayer to the Holy 
Ghost. But with the Father and the Son, he 
is distinctively recognized as sponsor for the 
disciple-life ; and this supposes prayer of the 
highest order. The saints are also formally 
blessed in the name of the Holy Ghost. The 
scholar, Erasmus, said to the reformer, Farel : 
“ I call upon you to prove by Scripture that we 
ought to invoke the Holy Ghost.” Farel 
answered: “If he be God, we must invoke 
him.” 

We read: “The Holy Ghost said unto 
Philip,” etc. (Acts viii. 29.) Now it were 
indeed strange if the Holy Ghost spoke to 
Philip, and yet Philip could under no cir- 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


57 


cumstances have the privilege of speaking to the 
Holy Ghost. We learn also that in the days of 
John’s isolation upon Patmos, ‘‘The Spirit said 
unto the Churches”—said various things to 
them. (Rev. ii. 7, etc.) As what he said con¬ 
cerned the integrity and purity of each and 
every one of their members—was addressed, in 
fact, to every one of them—it were passing 
strange if they could only listen, and had no 
power to speak, and to reply. And the same 
may be said of the churches and their members 
of the present day. 

Jesus said to his disciples : “ Go ye, 

therefore, and teach (disciple) all nations, 
baptizing them into the name of the Father, 
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” (Matt, 
xxviii. 19.) What did our Lord mean by this 
direction for baptizing proselytes into “ the 
name of the Holy Ghost ?” Clearly, on his 
own behalf, he intended to recognize the Holy 
Ghost, not as a mere influence or thing, but as 
a person, and one of equal dignity and power 
with the Father and the Son. And on our 
behalf, he intended that, in the very act of 
separation from the world, and the very in¬ 
ception of the spiritual life, we should recognize 
the personalty and Divinity of the Holy Ghost. 
The recognition and invocation of the Holv Ghost , 


i 


68 THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 

in the sacrament of baptism, is the very highest 
outward form of worship to him of which man 
is capable . 

6. The Church has always recognized the 
Divinity of the Holy Ghost, and the duty of 
worshiping him. The Arian controversy of the 
fourth century resulted, in substance, in the right 
settlement of the general doctrine of the Trinity* 
Afterward there was a long controversy on the 
subject of the Holy Ghost, which resulted in 
the firm establishment of the ( doctrine as held 
to the present day. In the English-speaking 
Church, the creeds have generally acknowledged 
the supreme worship of the Holy Ghost. In 
1617, Bishop Ken wrote his morning hymn, the 
closing stanza of which is the present popular 
long-metre doxology, the last line of which is 
sufficiently explicit : 

“ Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” 

For over a century, many Christian congrega¬ 
tions have been singing the following prayer : 

“ Come, Holy Ghost, for thee I call, 

Spirit of Burning, come.” 

These examples are by no means authoritative ; 
but they are an illustration of sentiment, so 
general and so pure, that they must not be 
wholly ignored. 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


59 


The conclusion of the whole matter is plain. 
The Holy Ghost is a Divine Person. To him, 
as such, our worship rightly belongs. He hears 
and answers prayer, when made in faith, in the 
name and merit of our Lord Jesus Christ. 


Chapter X. 


THE DISPENSATIONS. 

QD has vouchsafed three general Dispensa- 
tions of Grace to man. All of them had or 
still have the same meaning and the same results; 
namely, the present and eternal salvation and 
happiness of man. Each of them has been or 
still is marked with its own specific epoch and 
continuance. 

1. The First Dispensation is that of the 
Unity and Fatherhood of God. The Second 
Dispensation is that of the Son; or, more accu¬ 
rately, of the Father and the Son. The Third 
Dispensation is that of the Holy Ghost; or, 
more accurately, of the Father, the Son, and 
the Holy Ghost. 

2. The First Dispensation began immediately 
on the Fall of Man. It continued through the 
Patriarchal, Mosaic, and Prophetic ages of the 
world, to the time of Jesus Christ. 

3. The Second Dispensation began, specific¬ 
ally, with the coming of the Holy Ghost upon 
Jesus, and the inauguration of his public 
ministry. But it does not appear to have been 
in complete effect until the crucifixion. It 
60 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 61 

continued to the time of that feast of Pentecost 
which occured next after the crucifixion. 

4. The Third Dispensation began in the 
“ upper room” gathering of the Pentecost 
referred to. It continues to the present time. 
It will continue through all coming time, and 
can only terminate, if it may be said to have 
termination, when the glories of eternity begin. 

5. But the dispensations are not mere matters 
of time, or spaces of existence. They belong 
to the individual experience. It is no doubt 
still possible, for one who knows nothing 
specifically of the name and mission of Christ, 
to be ushered into the First Dispensation. (See 
Acts x. 35.) And although, as a grand fact, 
the present ages belong especially to the Third 
Dispensation, yet under the gospel call, peni 
tent believers are ushered into the Second 
Dispensation ; and the most of the saved con¬ 
tinue there for considerable periods of time. 
But, God be thanked ! as the glorious light of 
the Shekinah shines through the rent in the 
“ second vail,” many of the children of God 
enter into their promised rest in the Third 
Dispensation, and receive the Holy Ghost. 

1. Each and all of the dispensations have 
respect to Christ alone. He is the sacrificial 


62 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


offering to God for all ages, experiences, and 
dispensations. By him, and him alone, there 
is redemption and cleansing from both actual 
and original sin ; and by him, and him alone, 
are God and eternal life to be enjoyed. The 
Israelites, and others of the First Dispensation, 
had faith in the Coming Messiah ; and in this 
faith they were saved. But from the days of 
the incarnation to the present time, men have 
had faith in an Existing Messiah, Christ, and in 
this faith they have been saved. Praise his 
blessed Name forever ! 

2. Moreover, the Holy Ghost, the great 
Active Agent of the Third Dispensation, has 
worked effectively in the hearts of men in all of 
the dispensations. The Atonement depends 
upon him, alwavs and forever, for its efficiency 
and success. 

3. Each dispensation of grace is a marked 
and singular experience of God. This appears 
to be especially so as follows : 

The First Dispensation is the gift of God, in 
his Unity and Fatherhood, to those who enter 
into it. 

The Second Dispensation is the gift of God the 
Father and God the Son, as such, to those who 
enter into it. 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


63 


The Third Dispensation is the subsequent 
.and added gift of God the Holy Ghost, as 
such, to those who enter into it. 

4. While each Person of the Godhead is 
engaged in all of the dispensations, it does not 
appear that the personality of either of them is, 
in any marked and perfect manner, revealed to 
believers, until the period of his own special 
•dispensation. 

The above statements, it is confidently 
believed, agree with the general tenor of Holy 
Scripture. It is not claimed that their accept¬ 
ance in minutiae is essential to our acceptance 
with God ; but the general doctrine is certainly 
of special practical importance to us, so far as 
it concerns the reception of our “ inheritance 
among all them which are sanctified,” and of 
the distinctive “Gift of the Holy Ghost.” 


Chapter XI. 


THE FIRST DISPENSATION. 

the primeval Dispensation of grace, believ- 
^ ing penitents were introduced to God. By 
contact, affinity, and new spiritual life, they 
came to “know Jehovah,” or to “know the 
Lord.” They knew him as the “ living God,” 
in contradistinction from the multiplied dead 
gods of the heathen, with whose worship they 
were surrounded. They had an inward and 
conscious experience of the personal God. So 
it was in the case of Abraham, of Job, and of 
Moses, and doubtless of many others to fame 
unknown. From lack of definite teaching 
on the subject, and the materializing tendencies 
of those early ages, it must be admitted, that 
with the multitude of professed believers, this 
knowledge of the true God was more or less 
stinted and blurred. 

1. But this personal God, with whom 
ancient believers became duly acquainted, was 
none other than the Father Almighty. Although 
he was the very Dred Jehovah, yet, in the 
comforts of his grace, he must have manifested 
a real fatherly love and care. This is so true 


64 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


65 


that in those days, the Israelites, the special 
family of rightful worshipers, received the 
general distinction, “ Children of Jehovah,” or 
“ Children of the Lord.” (Deut. xiv. 1; xxxii. 
6; Psa. ciii. 13 ; Isa. lxiii. 16 ; Jer. iii. 4 ; Mai. 
i. 6.) They understood the Fatherhood of God. 
Yet this could not have been in the sense of dis¬ 
tinction of the person of the Father from that of 
the Son and Spirit. At the very best, the 
personalities of the latter were but faintly re¬ 
vealed. 

2. Considerable effort has been made by 
theologians to show that Christ appeared to 
some of the ancients. There is no rational 
doubt of the fact. Yet this does not necessarily 
prove that they knew him distinctively from 
the Father. In the lack of direct proof, the 
most that we can assume is, that the Israelites 
were notified of a distinction of some kind, 
which was to be more fully revealed when the 
Messiah came. We of the present age can 
doubtless see more of this distinction in the Old 
Testament than they to whom its various writings' 
were first addressed. Certainly there was an 
insufficient revelation of the Son of God as 
such, to cause any very distinct tracing on the 
theology and belief of the ages constituting the 
First Dispensation. 


5 


66 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


3. The Dispensation of the Father was not 
a Christian Dispensation. It belonged to the 
Patriarchs and Israelites, who knew the true God. 
It also belonged to those, living in various lands, 
who knew little of God, yet who followed what 
light from him they had. Probably there are 
considerable numbers in various lands, of a 
kind similar to the latter, who are to-day, 
practically, in the Father’s Dispensation. They 
are “ characterized by the fear of God, servile 
fear, with little love.” They only live in the 
haze and twilight of their dispensation. They 
are perhaps paralleled by some who live in 
Christian lands and in the Second Dispensation, 
yet whose knowledge of Christ and spiritual 
enjoyments are very small. 

4. It is said that, “in the Old Testament, 
God is quoted as ‘ dwelling among ’ his people, 
but never as dwelling in them.” But in the 
Old Testament days, it is certain that God 
dwelt in his people sufficiently to give them 
spiritual life, and to manifest his own life to 
this newly begotten life. God has but one 
essential method of salvation, though its un¬ 
foldings vary in the three dispensations. It is 
always by a change from sin to righteousness, 
from spiritual death into spiritual life, and from 
Satan unto himself. It is salvation to a 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 67 

knowledge of God, and into God, and God 
into the soul. 

5. In the First Dispensation there was for¬ 
giveness of sins. This was precisely as it is 
to-day. Jehovah said to Solomon, concerning 
the prayers of Israel when in distress : “I will 
hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin.” 
(2 Chron. vii. 14. See also Psa. ciii. 3.) 

6. But the Almighty does not forgive sins 
and leave the soul dead, and therefore without 
any capital stock with which to resist evil. He 
gives spiritual life. The psalmists describe a 
joyful salvation; one from which came their 
“hallelujah” utterances, and which unmis¬ 
takably betoken the new life. One of them 
speaks of the Godly man as he whose “ delight 
is in the law of the Lord.” Surely this “de¬ 
light ” originated in a supply of “ truth in the 
inward parts.” This would naturally make all 
such exclaim : “ Bless the Lord, O my soul! and 
all that is within me, bless his Holy Name!” 
And again: “ Oh, how love I thy law !” Surely, 
love does not come from sin, but from life. 
(Psa. i. 2 ; ciii. 1 ; cxix. 97. 

7. In the First Dispensation men received 
new hearts ; and the term “ heart ” expresses 
life. It is written of King Saul : “ God gave 
(turned) him another heart.” David prayed 


68 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


for a “clean heart.” (1 Sam. x. 6, 9; Psa. 
li. 10.) The term “ heart ” is a favorite one in 
the Old Testament, and is there repeatedly- 
applied to the saved. (See 2 Chron. vi. 14 ; 
Psa. xxxiii. 21; Jer. xxxi. 33; Ezek. xxxvi. 26.) 
In fact, this word “ heart ” is carried over from 
the Old Dispensation into the New, and means 
the same in both of them. In the New it 
certainly belongs to the born-again grace. (1 
Peter iii. 4.) It is life from the dead. 

8. We catch a glimpse of the specific 
character of the new heart of the Old Testa¬ 
ment by the single observation, that it was a 
heart of holiness. (Psa. xxix. 2; xcvi. 9; 
compare 2 Peter i. 21.) And holiness is life. 

9. In full fact, the Old Testament saint en¬ 
joyed the new spiritual life which is from God, 
and which is God in the soul. 

10. But more than this : the most devoted 
of those early people of God enjoyed perfect 
cleansing, or salvation from inbred sin. (Acts 
xiii. 22; Psa. li. 10.) Jesus nowhere denies 
the reception of the Holy Ghost before his day 
in his cleansing power, though denying it 
in his character as the Personal Comforter. 
(John xiv. 17, 26.) 


Chapter XII. 


THE SECOND DISPENSATION. 


Second Dispensation is the manifesta¬ 
ble tion of Jesus Christ. It is the glory 
of the Son of God. “ The Word was made 
flesh, and dwelt among us ; and we beheld his 
glory, the glory as of the Only Begotten of the 
Father; full of grace and truth.” (John i. 14.) 

This Dispensation is also the manifestation 
of the Father Almighty. The Son manifests 
the Father to those who believe into himself. 
Jesus says: “Neither knoweth any man the 
Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever 
the Son will reveal him.” (Matt. xi. 27.) 

The penitent believer, by spiritual birth, 
contact and affinity, is brought into a real 
or conscious knowledge of each, the Personal 
Father and the Personal Son. They come into 
the soul, and live there. Jesus says : “ This is 
eternal life, that they might know thee, the 
only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou 
hast sent.” (John xvii. 3.) The Father is no 
more an unknown quantity, but the very God 
of life —“ eternal life.” The Son is no more a 
mere historical personage, but existent, and the 


70 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


very God of life —“ eternal life.” The Father 
is manifested to the believer as indeed his 
Father; and the Son is manifested to him as 
his living and loving Savior. 

It may be productive of good to examine 
briefly those processes of grace, and some of 
their results, which belong to the Second 
Dispensation. 

1. Man is a sinner against God, both by 
nature and practice, but God has provided a 
ransom for his soul, so that he may “ glorify 
God, and enjoy him forever.” This ransom is 
Jesus Christ. (1 Tim. ii. 6.) 

2. The Holy Ghost is the efficient Agent of 
Grace. He presents to the mind of the sinner 
a view of the justice of God and his law. Then 
comes a genuine sorrow for all of the misdeeds 
of the past, so deep that it compels a forsaking 
of all known sinful practices, and a promise of 
all future obedience, trust, and love. Such for¬ 
saking of sin is repentance. It is written: 
“ Come out from among them, and be ye 
separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the 
unclean thing.” (2 Cor. vi. 17.) 

3. Faith in the Blood of the Atonement 
follows repentance. This is that grand act of 
trust in our Lord which immediately brings 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


71 


salvation. Jesus himself declares : “ God so 
loved the world, that he gave his only begotten 
Son, that whosoever believeth in (Gr., literally 
“into”) him, should not perish, but have 
everlasting life.” (John iii. 16.) The way 
we get into Christ is by believing our way in. 
“Into” is the original in the following additional 
passages : Markix. 42 ; John iii. 36 ; iv. 39; viii. 
30; xi. 25, 26, 45, 48 ; xii. 42, 44, 46; Gal. 
iii. 27.) 

4. When faith is thus exercised, then all of 
the sins of the past are immediately forgiven. 
“ Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven 
thee.” (Matt. ix. 2.) Forgiveness is an act 
in the mind of God; but he connects with it 
an act of cleansing, in which all of the guilt of 
the past—the taint upon the heart of every act 
of sinning—is fully removed. Hence comes 
the Apocalyptic acknowledgement: “ Unto him 
that loved us, and washed us from our sins in 
his own blood.” (Rev. i. 5.) The removal 
of guilt clarifies the “ conscience from dead 
works.” (Heb. ix. 14.) This is practical 
innocency; for God is now “the justifier of 
him which believeth in Jesus.” (Rom. iii. 26.) 

5. Forgiveness makes certain and immediate 
the great grace of spiritual life. By an act of 
creation—re-creation—the child of sin and 


72 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


Satan now becomes a child of God. “ Being 
born again, not of corruptible seed, but of 
incorruptible, by the word of God, which 
liveth and abideth forever.” (1 Peter i. 23.) 
And having a new life, and consequently 
a new set of affections, he very soon begins 
to feel their movement. “Wherefore,” Paul 
says, “ if any man is in Christ, he is a new 
creature; the old things are passed away; 
behold, they are become new.” (2 Cor. v. 17, 

je. v.) 

6. As a child of God, the believer now 
possesses the Spirit of God, and of his Son. 
“ Ye are not in the flesh,” so the apostle de¬ 
clares, “but in the Spirit, if so be that the 
Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man 
have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of 
his.” That is to say, he possesses the “ first 
fruits of the Spirit,” but not the fullness of the 
harvest. (Rom. viii.-9, 23.) The Spirit con¬ 
trols inbred sin, or even keeps it out of sight; 
but it is not destroyed, or removed out of Jiis 
heart. Nor does he yet apprehend the Spirit 
in his special indwelling personality; but, 
rather, simply as the “ Spirit of God,” or 
“ of Christ.” The Spirit also witnesses that 
he is saved of Jesus, and a child of God. (1 
John v. 6-10.) 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


73 


7. The union of the soul with Christ is 
unlike anything in nature. It presents the 
anomaly of a double consciousness. The 
“ born-again” life is a part of us, and consciously 
so ; yet we are at the same time conscious that 
it is Christ within us. (Gal. ii. 20; John xv. 
4-6.) 

8. Nearly all of those passages in the New 
Testament which describe Christ as being 
in the believer,'appear to belong to the 
Third Dispensation. Bu,t it is not necessary to 
suppose that there is no proper sense in which 
the Father and the Son dwell in us, in the 
Second Dispensation. Such indwelling, how¬ 
ever, cannot imply so rich manifestations of 
personality as in the Dispensation of the Holy 
Ghost. Yet, many times, they are so definite 
that the soul cries out to the Father, “ Abba, 
Father !” and to the Son, “ My Lord, and my 
God!” (Gal. iv. 6; John xx. 28.) There is 
a real and hearty recognition and enjoyment of 
the Father as the Father, and the Son as the 
Savior, to him who savingly believes in our 
Lord Jesus Christ. 

The spiritual condition of the eleven apostles, 
and others of the original followers of Jesus, is 
a matter of some little controversy and import- 


74 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


ance. The charge is made that they met with 
no proper spiritual change before the crucifixion; 
but this is a serious mistake. 

1. Just before the crucifixion Jesus .had a 
conversation with Peter, in which the former is 
reported as saying: “ When thou art converted,, 
strengthen thy brethren.” (Luke xxii. 32.) 
But this form of the passage was long ago shown 
to be faulty, and the Revised Version corrects 
it, thus : “ When thou has turned, stablish thy 
brethren.” The proof here is not that Peter 
had never been converted, but just the contrary; 
for how could he return to an experience from 
which he had never departed? The Lord saw 
that Peter’s faith would fail him, bringing him to 
the condition of a backslider; and this prophecy 
concerned his return to saving faith, and his. 
consequent duty to the Church. Again, on 
another occasion—still before the crucifixion 

-—Jesus declared to the eleven : “ Ye have 

loved me.” And on still another * occasion 
•—similar in time—he said : ” They are not of 
the world, even as I am not of the world.” 
(John xvi. 27 ; xvii. 16.) These scriptures- 
prove conclusively that the eleven were then 
saved from their sins to eternal life. 

2. In the Garden of Gethsemane all of the 
eleven apostles forsook their Lord and fled; 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


75 


and the tendency of the crucifixion was doubt¬ 
less to confuse the minds of many beside them. 
(See Luke xxiv. 21.) Yet there is no record 
which compels us to suppose that all of the 
brotherhood or any of the sisterhood backslid. 
But on the supposition that at least all of the 
eleven did so, what follows? Simply this : that 
between the resurrection and Pentecost they 
were all soundly reclaimed. After the ascension 
“ they worshiped him,” that is, their risen Lord; 
“ and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and 
were constantly in the temple, blessing God.” 
(Luke xxiv. 52, 53.) 

3. There was evidently a marked difference 
between the condition of those believers, 
justified, before and after the crucifixion. It 
appears that the Atonement did not have its full 
effect until after that surprising event. In fact, 
the Second Dispensation, though already 
begun, was not a full consummation until the 
blood of Calvary was actually spilled. And 
before that time, the disciples did not pray in 
the name of Jesus ; but after that event, they 
expected everything in his name. (Matt. vi. 
9-13 ; John xvi. 24 ; Acts iv. 12.) Nor pre¬ 
viously were they candidates for the Gift of the 
Holy Ghost. (John xvi. 7.) And inside of 
the facts just mentioned there appears to lie 


76 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


another : that before the tragedy of Calvary, 
the spiritual life of the disciples, as it concerned 
the manifestation of the Indwelling Christ, was 
of too rudimentary a character to fit them for 
full salvation. (See John xiv. 7-9.) It was 
not until after the crucifixion that they were 
able to recognize the Father and the Son in so 
complete a manner as converts have recognized 
them in all of the subsequent ages of the 
Church. 


Chapter XIII. 


HOLINESS-SINNING. 

M OLINESS is spiritual wholeness. It is 
healthfulness of soul. As applied to man 
since the Fall, it implies a turning from sin to 
God, and a purification by the blood of Jesus. 
But purity alone, which is freedom from sin, is 
not holiness; because the latter is a positive 
and active principle, and belongs to the 
spiritual life alone. God is holy; and not 
only so, but he is the very embodiment of 
holiness. All the holiness which man possesses 
or can possess is an impartation of God ; there¬ 
fore he who will be holy must receive God. It 
is the Scriptural plan, that we are to be “ par¬ 
takers of his holiness.” (Heb. xii. 10.) 
Sanctification is a state of sanctity, and there¬ 
fore is identical with holiness. But the word 
“holiness” simply indicates its underlying 
quality; while the word “sanctification” not 
only indicates the same quality, but also that 
it is one to be obtained, and that we are made 
holy. 

1. In the Second Dispensation believers 
are at least initially sanctified; but they are not 


78 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


sanctified wholly. (1 Thess. v. 23.) They are 
precisely so far sanctified that all guilt and 
acquired hardness of heart are removed, and 
the new and holy life from God is imparted. 
These are facts which are proved by the general 
consensus of the New Testament, and the com¬ 
mon testimony of the Church since the advent 
of Christ. 

2. The record of grace in this dispensation, 
already made in these pages, is a record of 
partial sanctification, or holiness. It is holi¬ 
ness, grand and blissful, as far as it goes. The 
born-again grace, being an impartation to the 
soul which was spiritually dead, of a vital 
and Divine element, must be holy. Nothing 
can be more so. But nothing of this kind 
shows that the one possessing it is in all other 
respects holy. There is, in fact, within him a 
sinful element; subdued, to be sure, yet exist¬ 
ing ; and one which sometimes manifests itself 
to his consciousness. Some affirm that this is 
not so—that he is now, in all of his spiritual 
nature, holy. Although, as William Bramwell 
aptly observed, this is “the devil’s big gun,” 
yet, with all its noise, it has never more 
than made a ripple upon the belief of the great 
body of the Church of Christ. For this, all 
praise to his blessed Name ! 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


79 


3. The pre-pentecostal disciples, as we 
have seen, were regenerated ; yet they were not 
fully sanctified. This fact cannot be seriously 
denied. Those incidents in their history which 
bear specifically upon this point, are so marked 
that they need not be considered at length. 
Christ, with emphasis, declared that they were 
“ not of the world;” yet some of them, ap¬ 
parently without being aware of it, possessed 
a worldly spirit, which made them covetous of 
the highest places in the kingdom of their Lord. 
(Matt. xx. 20-28. See also Luke ix. 49-55.) 

4. The post-pentecostal disciples of the 
New Testament day—very many of them cer¬ 
tainly—were not sanctified wholly at the 
moment of conversion. In the Acts, the 
special Gift and Anointing of the Holy Ghost 
are repeatedly placed after conversion; and 
yet this Gift belongs to the epoch and state of 
heart-purity. (Acts x. 22 ; xv. 8, 9 ; xix. 2-6.) 
A majority of the epistles placed before those for 
whom they were primarily designed—and before 
us also, to whom they likewise belong—a state 
of salvation, rest, and perfection not at first 
reached ; yet one to be obtained and enjoyed 
In this present evil world. (See Rom. vi. 6, 11; 
1 Cor. iii.. 1-3 ; 2 Cor. xiii. 9, 11 ; Gal. iii. 3 ; 
Phil. iii. 15, 16; Col. i. 28; iii. 14; 1 Thess. 


80 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


iii. 10, 13 ; v. 23, 24; 1 Tim. i. 5 ; 2 Tim. iii. 
17; Heb. iv. 3-12; x. 19-22; xii. 1, 26, 27 ; 
James i. 2-4; 1 John iii. 3, and other passages.) 
And the testimony of the people of God of 
the present age accords with this understanding 
of the New Testament. 

The holiness of the ordinary regenerate state, 
although not complete in every sense, is yet 
sufficiently so to keep its possessors from com¬ 
mitting sin. 

1. Some teachers of the second work of 
grace—to say nothing of many others—leave it 
loosely to be inferred that the ordinary 
Christian is expected, at least occasionally, to 
sin. This is a great mistake. He is very 
liable to fall into sin ; but he need not, and for 
long periods, many do not do so. He who sins 
is not saved at all. Even he who is thoroughly 
repentant stops all rebellion against God, and 
refrains from committing sin. The born-again 
state is absolutely opposed to the sinning state. 
Love is a commandment-keeper. “What 
then?” inquires Paul ; “shall we sin, because 
we are not under the law, but under grace? 
God forbid ?” “Whosoever is born of God 
doth not commit sin.” “He that commiteth 
sin is of the devil.” “ In this the children of 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


81 


God are manifest, and the children of the 
devil.” (Rom. vi. 15; 1 John iii. 6-10.) 
Nothing can be plainer, it appears, than the 
Scriptural ground against committing sin. He 
who runneth may read. 

2. Sin is involved in the will; and “ love is 
the fullfilling of the law.” (Rom. xiii. 10.) 
Neither a perfect body nor intellect is required 
in order to live innocently or unsinningly 
before God. “ For if there be first a willing 
mind, it is acceptable according to that a man 
hath, and not according to that he hath not.” 

(2 Cor. viii. 12.) The original law for man • 
demanded a manly perfection, while the gospel 
demands a gracious perfection only. To every 
true believer, Christ is the end of the Adamic 
law, for its righteousness ; and there is an 
imputation of his blood and merit to cover all 
derelictions beyond the will, which necessary 
infirmity and ignorance impose. (Rom. x. 4.) 
Yet no doubt, when the sinner rejects the law 
of grace, he is to be judged by the law of 
Adamic perfection and works. 


6 


Chapter XIV. 


“the sin of the world.” 

6i fe) EHOLD the Lamb of God, which taketh 
away the sin of the world!” (John i. 
29.) These are the remarkable words with which 
John, the water-baptizer, saluted Jesus, the 
Sin-Atoner and Spirit-Baptizer. What do they 
mean, and what particular inferences are to 
be drawn from them ? 

The first point to be observed is this : That 
the world, as such, has a sin ; a single sin, 
particularly its own. The second is. this : That 
the mission of Jesus on earth, as a Lamb or 
Sacrifice, was to destroy this sin. The third is 
this : That this destruction, like the Sacrifice 
for its accomplishment, belongs to the world as 
it now is, and not as it is to be, nor to any other 
world. That is, the sin spoken of is to be 
taken away from those composing and living in 
the world, and only while they live in it. The 
text indicates present time, and no other. It 
says, “ taketh away,” “ shall take away.” 

1. The Sin of the World is common to the 
world. It is common to mankind. It was 
received by our first parents in the Fall, and is 


82 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


83 


transmitted to their children to all generations. 
Jesus was the only exception to this rule ; and 
his birth was a miracle. 

2. The Sin of the World is not to be con¬ 
founded with the sifts of men. It, sin, belongs 
to humanity as such, and does not involve the 
will; therefore no one is directly responsible 
for it. But they, sins, belong to individual 
men as such, and involve the will; therefore 
each one is responsible for his own. It, sin, is 
a quality, inhering, and in nowise an act; it 
must therefore be “taken away” by the “Lamb 
of God.” But they, sins, are quantities, out¬ 
ward, being actions performed; they must 
therefore be forgiven, for Jesus’ sake. How¬ 
ever, the guilt acquired in the commission of 
sins, equally with the Sin of the World, must 
be cleansed away. “The blood of Jesus Christ 
cleanseth us from all sin.” 

3. The Sin of the World is that quality and 
taint of spiritual corruption which in itself , in 
its nature , is utterly opposed to God. It is un¬ 
holiness ; the same in kind which belongs to 
demons and spirits lost forever. (John viii. 44.) 

4. The Sin of the World is none other than 
“ the sin which doth so easily beset us ;” that 
is, which besets the believer after regeneration. 
{Heb. xii. 1.) The margin of the Revised 


84 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


Version has it, “ the sin which doth closely 
cling to us.” A very descriptive rendering; 
for this sin is always immovable until forcibly 
ejected by Atoning Blood. 

5. The Sin of the World is the fruitful 
source of sinning. The devil, the world, and 
physical appetite, as incentives, play their part 
in wrong-doing; but neither of them is the Sin 
of the World ; nor are the disturbances which 
they cause like those produced by this sin. 
Appetite is physical want expressed to the 
mind, and is not a spiritual quality at all. But 
all wrong desire for the gratification of appetite 
belongs to the realm of the spiritural, as against 
the physical and natural, and therefore is sin¬ 
ful. Sin dwelling in the heart seizes upon it, 
and utilizes it against us, and against God. 
Jesus says : “From within, out of the heart of 
man, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries,” etc. 
(Mark vii. 21.) This is conclusive. 

6. The Sin of the World continues in the 
heart after regeneration. To him who has not 
been sanctified wholly, it presents itself as a 
conscious unholiness. He may not understand 
it, or what its source, or even its name; but he 
often feels its presence, sometimes very keenly, 
and deplores it very righteously. He well under¬ 
stands that it is contrary to God and his law. 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


85 


7. The Sin of the World, in believers, is put 
under the mastery of grace. The foot of God is 
upon it.. Yet it is so dark and blinding in 
nature that it has more effect upon the active 
powers than is always appreciated. After 
it is eradicated, many things are discarded 
as sinful, which previously did not disturb 
the conscience. To say, therefore, that 
there is no difference between the outward un¬ 
foldings of life in the justified and the sanctified, 
is not correct, and should be avoided. In the 
regenerate, the greater the growth in grace the 
more the light of God distinguishes the pure 
from the impure. The Sin of the World is the 
fruitful source of worldliness, backsliding, and 
spiritual death. To yield to its besetments is 
to fall from grace. Paul says : “The wages of 
sin is death.” (Rom. vi. 23.) “ Sin” is the 

cause of sinning. To obey its behests and 
work in its interests, is to commit sin; and the 
wages it pays is spiritual death. 

8. The Sin of the World is rightly so named. 
But it has other appellations, some of which 
have 'already been noticed, or used. It is 
written down in the Scriptures as “sin,” as 
“the sin” (emphatic), as the “body of sin,” 
as our “ old man,” as “ unrighteousness,” and 
as carnality, or the “mind of the flesh.” (!' 


86 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


John i. 7; Heb. xii. 1; Rom. vi. 6 ; 1 John i. 
9 ; 1 Cor. iii. 1; Rom. viii. 6.) From these 
names, theologians and the spiritually minded 
have conveniently derived others, which are 
in common use; such as, “ original sin,” 
“ inbred sin,” “ indwelling sin,” “ inherited 
depravity.” The term “ inbred sin” means 
the sin which is “bred within,” or “sin in the 
breed.” 


Chapter XV. 


FINAL DELIVERANCE FROM SIN. 

IfMTO impurity can enter heaven. From that 
blissful shore all sin is forever excluded. 
Yet long before we gain admittance to the 
home of the pure, we are permitted to enter 
upon our “inheritance among them which 
are sanctified by faith that is in” Jesus our 
Lord. (Acts xxvi. 18.) If while on earth we 
cannot be saved from all of the effects of sin¬ 
ning and of sin, we can, by Blood Divine, be 
saved from all guilt, and from inbred sin. “He 
is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and 
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 
John i. 9.) Praise the Lord forever ! 

1. Of the time of final deliverance from the 
Sin of the World, there are various theories. 
Some believe in a purgatory, whose fires are to 
complete the work of salvation which is begun 
before death. Others believe in a future pro¬ 
bation, wherein the impenitents of earth may 
obtain the necessary fitness for heaven. And 
still others believe that inbred sin is destroyed 
at or immediately before death. The true 
Biblical doctrine, however, shows us that the 


87 


88 


THE TWO FOLD GIFT 


justified believer may receive full salvation by 
faith, instantly and to-day. Amen, and amen. 

2. The fact that the expiatory offering of 
Christ was made on earth, is a sufficient gen¬ 
eral refutation of the theory of a purgatorial 
cleansing, or cleansing by future suffering ; and 
also of that of any probation after death. The 
Scriptures say, of that period when Christ shall 
re-appear on earth, bringing his rewards with 
him: “He that is unjust, let him be unjust 
still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still.’* 
(Rev. xxii. 11, 12.) 

3. Death itself is no sanctifier. The work 
of cleansing is altogether Divine. Of the gen¬ 
eral promise of heaven to all non-probationers, 
and to dying believers who are as yet ignorant 
of their full privileges in Christ, there can be 
no doubt. (Phil. i. 6.) But they who will¬ 
fully refuse the sufficiency of light from God, on 
entire cleansing and holiness, must surely lose 
the degree of salvation which they have received, 
and with it all title to heaven. 

A close study of the New Testament will 
reveal the following relevant points : 

1. Purity, as a fact existent, not merely 
hereafter but upon earth, is established in the 
very words of Jesus : “ Blessed are the pure in 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


89 


heart, for they shall see God.” (Matt. v. 8.) 
Those who are thus pure on earth see him on 
earth ; but especially, “ they shall see” him in 
heaven. Jesus also made perfection of heart, 
obtainable here on earth, in the case of the 
young man who had 4£ great possessions.” 
(Matt. xix. 21.) He commanded a species of 
perfection of love, and works springing from 
love, in these words : “ Be ye therefore per¬ 
fect, even as your Father which is in heaven is 
perfect. (Matt. v. 44-48.) 

2. Our Lord promised the Comforter to his 
disciples, as a second benefit; the coming of 
whom was placed by Peter in connection 
with perfection. (John xiv., xv., xvi.; Acts xv. 
8, 9.) In the early Apostolic work, men were 
converted, and afterward received the promised 
Comforter, the Holy Ghost. (Acts i. 8; ii. 
38,39; viii. 14-17; x. 22, 35,44-47; xix. 
4-6.) 

3. The apostles, in their letters to the 
Churches, describe a state of grace beyond 
regeneration, which either directly or indirectly 
implies salvation from the Sin of the World. 
It is variously named. 

( a .) It is called “Rest.” (Heb. iii. 11; 
iv. 1-11; xii. 26-28.) 

( b .) It is called “Perfection.” (Rom. xii. 


90 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


2 ; 2 Cor. xiii. 9, 11; Gal. iii. 3 ; Eph. iv. 12, 
13; Fhil. iii. 15; Col. i. 28; iii. 14; iv. 12; 
2 Tim. iii. 17; Heb. vi. 1; x. 14; xiii. 21;, 
James i. 4; 1 John ii. 5 ; iv. 18.) 

(V.) It is called “Holiness.” (Rom. vi. 
19-22 ; 2 Cor. vii. 1 ; Heb. x. 19; xii. 10.) 
It is called Entire Sanctification—“the very 
God of peace sanctifiy you wholly.” (1 Thess. 
v. 23.) The terms, “ holiness ” and “ sanctifi¬ 
cation,” are in general equivalent. 

( d .) It is called death to sin, or a cleansing 
from “ all sin” or “all unrighteousness ; which 
is complete purity. (Rom. vi. 11; 1 John i. 7, 
9; iii. 3.) 

(<?.) It is called the “ fullness of the bless¬ 
ing of the Gospel of Christ.” (Rom. xv. 29.) 

4. There is an absolute line of demarcation 
between sin committed and inbred sin; between 
an act of sinning and a sinful state ; and be¬ 
tween the state of guilt resulting from a sinful 
act, and a state of inborn depravity. There¬ 
fore the work of cleansing original sin from 
the heart is no part of that of cleansing guilt 
from the heart. The objects, conditions, and 
results of the two are entirely different. Neither 
does the removal of guilt necessarily imply the 
removal of original sin, the Sin of the World. 
Things that are mixed must be moved together; 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


91 


but “ sins” and “sin,” being unmixed and in 
no wise identical, may therefore be removed 
separately. In fact, the removal of “sin” 
is properly a “ second work of grace.” 

5. The Sin of the World as a quality, an 
essence, is one and singular. By a law in reason 
and philosophy which applies to all ultimate 
elements, it is incapable of division. It must, 
therefore, be altogether in the heart, or al¬ 
together out of it. And when it is removed, this 
cannot be done gradually, or in parts, but all at 
once, and altogether. There are approaches 
to the work of removal which are gradual, 
or preparations for it that are made one by 
one; and there are effects that follow the 
removal which are gradually developed ; but by 
the law of nature as well as of grace, the real 
change itself from plus to minus, from sin to no 
sin,, is necessarily one work, and that of a 
moment.. 

6. The instantaneous removal of the Sin of 
the World may be acomplished long before 
death, because it is done through faith. “ Now 
is the day of salvation,” is a promise that is as 
applicable to heart-purity as it is to initial 
salvation. Faith is always an instantaneous 
act; and those results of faith which are in the 
immediate progress of salvation, are always 


92 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


instantaneous. It is the right and duty of the 
children of God to seek for full cleansing to¬ 
day, and with full expectation that it will be 
immediately accomplished. “ And the Lord, 
whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his 
temple, even the Messenger of the Covenant, 
whom ye delight in,” whom ye already delight 
in ; “ behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of 
Hosts.” (Mai. iii. 1.) 

7. But there is a condition precedent to the 
faith which sanctifies, beside the mere fact of a 
state of childhood in the family of God. Much 
is said of “consecration” as this precedent 
condition; but all true Christians are conse¬ 
crated, that is, devoted to God ; therefore the 
term is not a very fortunate one. The great 
necessary condition precedent to sanctifying faith , 
is the giving up of inbred sin . 

In various ways, directly and indirectly, the 
Holy Ghost makes plain the presence of sin in 
the heart, and the discomforts and dangers of 
such presence. Every-day existence becomes a 
battle with this inward evil, in some of its 
different forms. Even under the adverse cir¬ 
cumstances of poor and erroneous teaching, the 
conscientious and growing disciple looks about 
him for help, crying out: “O wretched man 
that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body 
of this death?” (Rom. vii. 24.) 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 93 

But when the Word of God is rightly ad¬ 
ministered, the Holy Ghost has clear opportunity 
of enlightenment. Hear Paul, as he asks : “Shall 
we continue in (the) sin, that (the) grace may 
abound ? God forbid !” Also John, who says : 
“ Beloved, now are we the sons of God,” etc.; 
“ And every man that hath this hope in him, 
purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (Rom. 
vi. 1 ; 1 John iii. 2, 3. See also 2 Cor. vii. 1 ; 
Heb. xii. 1.) To purify ourselves is simply to 
meet the conditions of cleansing ; for the blood 
of Jesus is the great cleanser, by the immediate 
act of the Holy Ghost. We speak of washing 
our hands or a garment in water; yet not we, 
but the water is the real cleansing agent. Give 
up all sin, and the blood is applied to the 
heart readily. 

Although sin is a simple or ultimate element, 
it is many-sided in appearance and effects. 
Seekers, therefore, are often very closely 
questioned by the Spirit, on points involving 
these manifold manifestations. They are re¬ 
quired to yield to God at every point suggested; 
and even the unknown with the well-known 
must be cheerfully surrendered to the All- 
Cleansing Blood. 

8. It were strange indeed if the intelligent 
believer should be saved from the great disturb- 


94 THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 

ing element of his nature before he surrendered 
it. And, really, here is the great difficulty in 
receiving the second work of grace. Sin, al¬ 
though not exactly an intelligence, yet, by a 
species of instinct, works through the mind. 
Hence we read of the “ minding of the flesh,” 
or the “mind of the flesh.” (Rom. viii. 6, 
marg ., and R. V.) Sin is deeply imbedded in 
the heart, and does not readily relax its hold. 
Not infrequently, there is at the same time both 
a willingness and an unwillingness to surrender 
it; and nothing is accomplished until the will 
is fairly moved to a complete vital action. To 
fail in this is to fail disastrously. 

“Wait a little, my brother,” said the in¬ 
cisive Benjamin Pomeroy ; “ amputation comes 
next. This tenderness over right hands and 
right eyes that causes us to stumble—this 
fondling of idols before God, in saying, ‘I don’t 
mean any hurt in it, even if it is wrong—I take 
no pride in it’—is enough to baffle prayers for¬ 
ever. Moses and Elijah would have failed 
here. Crucifixion unto death will only avail 
against the carnal mind. If the ‘old man’ 
goes with us in any sense on to God’s altar, it 
must be in blood, fresh from the crucifixion. 
Death and burial are the mildest cure possible 
for this child of the devil, depravity in us; for 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 95 

fix it up as we will, with politeness, education, 
baptisms and confirmations, the father knows 
his child in any dress. This is a crucifixion 
requiring two parties ; and these are the kind 
of death-blows that must alternate between God 
and self.” (Visions from Modern Mounts .) 

9. He who dies out to sin, knows it. He 
does not merely “ think ” that he is “ conse¬ 
crated,” or “believe” that he is all given up 
to God ; but he has opened and entered the 
door of certainty, and “ knows” that the last 
line which held him to sin is severed. He 
reckons himself “ dead indeed unto sin;” he is 
ready to be, to do, and to suffer, in any way 
which the Lord may be pleased to permit or 
direct. Reaching this “ death-line,” he is 
now ready and able to appropriate the Blood of 
Full Cleansing, through the promise of God. 
He takes Christ as his sanctification. Then, 
and not until then, the Blood is applied to his 
heart by the Holy Ghost, and the “ Sin of the 
World, ”the monster! is quite removed. Then, 
too, comes the witnessing; because it is written, 
“by one offering he (Christ) hath perfected 
forever them that are sanctified; whereof the 
Holy Ghost also is a witness unto us.” (Heb. 
x. 13, 14.) Surely here is room for a 

thousand doxologies. Hallelujah, forever! 


Chapter XVI. 


THE DAY OF THE HOLY GHOST. 

W EW problems now confront us. They are 
those which belong to the age designated 
by the prophets as “afterwards,” and “that 
day,” and “his days,” and “those days,” and 
“the last days.” The New Testament desig¬ 
nates this period as “ these last days,” and the 
“dispensation of the fullness of times.” (Heb. 
i. 2; Eph. i. 10.) It is identical with the 
Third Dispensation of Grace. 

1. This “day” is the day of the Father and 
the Son. But in a particular and enlarged 
sense, it is the day of the Holy Ghost. It is the 
period of the special realizations of the latter; 
when he is more fully revealed than heretofore; 
when, by way of added truth and emphasis, he 
is named “ Paraclete,” “ Spirit, the God.” 
(John xiv. 16 ; literal of John iv. 24.) Blessed 
be God the Father, God the Son, and God the 
Holy Ghost ! Amen. 

2. An individual experience is permitted, in 
and of this day of the Lord, to all who properly 
and fully seek for it. Its ushering in is the 
moment of salvation from all sin. It is much 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


97 


more than the Spring-time, and even the 
Summer of salvation; freighted though these be 
with the blossom-promises and the promised 
fruits of eternal life. It adds to them the 
yellow-ripe Autumn-harvest of a full and cloud¬ 
less salvation. It is the “ Gift of the Holy 
Ghost.” 

3. Preparatory to this “ day,” Jesus was 
anointed with the Holy Ghost. The “day” 
dawned upon the disciples in its brightness, 
while they were met together in that “ upper 
room,” after the ascension of our Lord; and its 
refulgent light burst upon the world, then 
lying in darkness and crowded with sin, on the 
ever-memorable morning of Pentecost. 

4. The “day” of the Holy Ghost and his 
Dispensation was enjoyed generally by the 
early converts of the faith, both Jews and 
Gentiles. This was so in Judaea, in Galilee, in 
Samaria, in Antioch of Pisidia, and in other 
places. (Acts ix. 31; viii. 14-20; x. 44-47; 
xi. 15-17; xiii. 14, 52; xix. 1-6; Eph. i. 13.) 
The same glorious “ day ” has continued in the 
Church of the First-Born, with more or less 
brightness and power, through all the interven¬ 
ing centuries to the present time And it shall 
continue, until time shall be no more, and the 
greater effulgence of heaven shall be opened up 


98 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


to the wondering eyes of the residue of the 
saints. (Acts ii. 39.) 

5. All of the regenerate are candidates, duly 
appointed, for the “day” described, and for 
the “Gift” thereof. Would to God that all 
had them in happy possession ! But from the 
prevalent low grade of gospel teaching, the 
commonly low grade of spiritual attainments, 
the suggestions of Satan, and the blinding force 
of inbred sin—the latter, especially, in causing 
fear of persecution—it is not to be thought 
strange that so few claim their right to the 
blessed “inheritance among them which are 
sanctified.” Nevertheless, eyen now, the work 
goes forward, and God is signally glorified. 
Praise his Name forever ! 


Chapter XVII. 


JESUS AND THE HOLY GHOST. 

personal relations of the blessed Jesus 
^ with the blessed Holy Ghost, while the 
former was yet on earth, were peculiar. And they 
are especially significant to us, because they shed 
light upon our relations with the same Almighty 
Comforter. 

1. Before the birth of our Lord, as well as 
at the time of his circumcision, he was named 
“ Jesus.” The term “Christ” was very soon 
afterward applied to him. “Jesus” simply 
means “Savior;” while “Christ” means 
“ Messiah,” or “Anointed.” (Eng., Christ; 
Gr., Christos; Heb., Mashiah, Anointed, from 
mashah, to anoint.) The term “Jesus 
Christ,” therefore, means “ Savior, Messiah,” 
or “ Savior, Anointed.” The term “Christ” 
was not at first applied to our Lord as a 
personal name, but purely as his official title. 
As such name it appears to have been rarely 
used before Pentecost. (See John xvii. 3.) 
Subsequent to Pentecost, and in the epistles, 
the title was more fully blended into the name 
of our Savior, and he was called, somewhat 


100 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


indifferently, “Jesus,” “Jesus Christ,” and 
“Christ.” Specifically, the name “Jesus” 
indicates his character as the Savior of men, 
while the name “Christ” indicates his char¬ 
acter as the Anointer of his people. • It was his 
Anointing—his Christhood—which enabled him 
to become, in fact, the Savior of men, and the 
Anointer of his people. Note also that he was 
called the “ Son of God,” this being one of 
his names or titles ; and it was the Anointing 
which demonstrated him to be “ the Son of 
God, with power.” (Rom. i. 4.) 

2. It will be well at this point to bring out 
a few important facts of the early history of 
Jesus which are relevant to the present inquiry. 
After he was circumcised, it is said that “the 
child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with 
wisdom ; and the grace of God was upon him. ’ ’ 
At the age of twelve years, the spring of the 
Divinity within him pressed him to be about 
his “ Father’s business ;” and he was found in 
the temple, “sitting in the midst of the doc- 
ors ”—a class of recognized religious teachers 
of his nation—“ both hearing them, and asking 
them questions.” After this, he was a subject 
of the family government at Nazareth ; and as 
he still increased in wisdom and in the favor of 
God, the singular beauty of his youthful char- 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


101 


acter brought him into favor “with men.” 
(Luke ii. 40-52.) We hear nothing further of 
him up to the time of his baptism, only that it 
was “ his custom ” to worship with the people 
in the synagogue of Nazareth, “on the Sabbath 
day,” and to read to them the regular lessons 
from the Law and Prophets. (Luke iv. 16.) 
This is the whole story. 

3. But when “Jesus began to be about 
thirty years of age,” he “ came from Nazareth 
of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jor¬ 
dan.” (Mark i. 9.) He was to be our 
Great High Priest, and this was, no doubt, an 
official ablution, corresponding to that of Aaron 
and his sons; for when Moses introduced* them 
into their priestly office, he was commanded 
to “wash them with water.” (Exod. xl. 12; 
Lev. viii. 6.) In addition to his baptism with 
water, and immediately following it, Jesus was 
Anointed with the Holy Ghost. This Anoint¬ 
ing corresponded to the anointing with oil, in 
the case of the priesthood; or, rather, it was the 
substance, of which the Levitical anointing 
was only the type and shadow. (Acts x. 38 ; 
Exod. xxix. 7 ; Lev. viii. 12.) 

The Spirit-Anointing of Jesus is recorded thus : 
“Now when all the people were baptized, it 
came to pass that Jesus being baptized, and pray- 


102 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


ing, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Ghost 
descended in a bodily shape, like a dove, upon 
him.” Another record says: “The heavens 
were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of 
God descending like a dove, and lighting upon 
him.” Then immediately the Almighty Father 
uttered his voice, saying : “ Thou art my Be¬ 
loved Son; in thee I.am well pleased.” (Luke 

iii. 21, 22; Matt. iii. 16, 17.) The Holy 
Ghost not only descended upon Jesus, but 
Jesus was filled with the Holy Ghost. (Luke 

iv. 1.) Thus he was “Anointed with the Holy 
Ghost, and with power;” and in this manner 
he who had been simply “Jesus,” became 
“Jesus, the Anointed”—“Jesus, the Mes¬ 
siah ”—“ Jesus, the Christ.” 

4. Jesus was never baptized with the Holy 
Ghost. There is not a text or paragraph of 
Scripture to show such a baptism. All baptism 
means separation ; but look at all of those 
texts in the four evangelists where the coming 
of the Spirit upon Jesus is described, and it is 
neither called baptism, nor is it shown to be 
of the character of baptism. And yet, in im¬ 
mediate connection with these texts, the 
promise is made that our Lord should baptize 
his people with the Holy Ghost. The failure 
in his case to identify the coming and the bap- 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


103 


tism, of the Holy Ghost, is both remarkable 
and conclusive. (Compare Matt. iii. 16 with 
11 ; Mark i. 10 with 8; Luke iii. 22 with 16; 
and John i. 33 with 32.) 

5. Jesus, as he himself declares, was bap¬ 
tized with water, that he might “ fulfill all 
righteousness that is, the righteousness of 
the Mosaic Institutes. (Matt. iii. 15.) It was 
simply an official separation to his ministry 
and priesthood. It could be no more than this; 
for, personally, he already and always “ knew 
no sin;” he was “holy, harmless, undefiled,” 
and “separate from sinners.” (2 Cor. v. 21; 
Heb. vii. 26.) 

But the coming of the Holy Ghost upon 
Jesus was more than a separation or recogni¬ 
tion ; it was an actual bestowment. It was, on 
his part, the reception of that wonderful “Gift” 
and “ Power” from the Infinite Father, which 
fitted him, as a man, for success in his mission, 
and its absolute consummation on earth. Luke 
says : “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with 
the Holy Ghost, and with power.” (Acts x. 
38 ; iv. 27 ; Luke iv. 18.) 

The Holy Ghost came upon Jesus “in a 
bodily shape, like a dove.” (Luke iii. 22.) 
The “bodily shape” simply indicated whole¬ 
ness and compactness ; while its appearance as 


104 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


a “dove” indicated life and personality. It 
is easy to see that the form of this coming did 
not correspond with the specific promises made 
for our Spirit-baptism. Joel said that the 
Father should “ pour out ” the Spirit upon us ; 
and John the Baptist said that Christ should 
“baptize you with the Holy Ghost;” but on 
the other hand, it is nowhere said that the 
Holy Ghost was “poured out” upon Jesus. 
(Joel ii. 28 ; Matt. iii. 11 ; compare Luke iv. 
18 ; and other places.) Yet we cannot fail to 
recognize the fact, that the reception of the 
Holy Ghost by Jesus exactly corresponded in 
form with the promises that we should receive 
the Holy Ghost as the Paraclete, or Comforter. 
(John xiv., xv., xvi.) 

6. The child Jesus was not only the Son of 
Man but the Son of God. His humanity was 
doubtless at times quite conscious of the in¬ 
dwelling Divine Sonship. But it is impossible 
to show by the Scriptures that the youthful 
Jesus was as consciously imbued with the Holy 
Ghost. His knowledge of the indwelling of 
the latter in his personality must have dated 
from that time when, after his water-baptism, 
“ the Holy Ghost descended upon him.” 
This anointing constituted a marked epoch in 
his personal experience. 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


105 


7. The first thing that occurred to Jesus, 
after he was thus exalted and became the 
Christ, was: “The Spirit driveth him into the 
wilderness;” “to be tempted of the devil;” or 
again : “ He was led by the Spirit into the 
wilderness, being forty days tempted of the 
devil.” (Mark i. 12 ; Matt iv. 1; Luke iv. 1, 
2.) The Holy Ghost, so it appears, expressly 
intended this trial, and led or pressed him into 
it. That is, Jesus went forward by a mighty 
impulse of the Holy Ghost. The first part of 
the temptation seems to have been purely 
spiritual ; and for the time, it so absorbed his 
vital sensibilities that he felt no hunger. After¬ 
ward his abstinence became a source of strong 
conflict; until, as he conquered at every point, 
the devil “departed from him for a season.” 
(Luke iv. 2-13.) In these things, as in many 
others, Christ is our Great Example; for the 
Great Anointing not only brings us to great 
power, but through great temptations. 

8. Next after his fiery ordeal, Jesus “re¬ 
turned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee.” • 
Great and gracious was this power ; for it so 
led him to teach in the Galilsean synagogues, 
that “ there went out a fame of him through all 
the region round about; and he was “ glorified 
of all.” (Luke iv. 14, 15.) 


106 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


In the course of his travels, it is not strange 
that he found his way to Nazareth, the home 
of his childhood and early manhood. Now, 
mark what occured there : on the Sabbath he 
went into the synagogue, where he had habitual¬ 
ly worshiped, and “stood up to read.” He 
read from the roll of the Prophecy of Isaiah, at 
what is now the beginning of the sixty-first 
chapter : “ The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, 
because he hath Anointed me to preach the 
gospel to the poor,” etc. (Luke iv. 16—19.) 
After reading, he sat down. But so fascinating 
were the words as they fell from his lips, and 
so great the measure of their unction and power, 
that “ the eyes of all them that were in the 
synagogue were fastened on him.” Then he 
spoke, laying claim to the prophecy which was 
the lesson of the hour. “This day,” said he, 
“ is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears.” 
And then they “ all bare him witness, and won¬ 
dered at the gracious words which proceeded 
out of his mouth.” Thus Jesus was not only 
himself Anointed, but his words were impreg¬ 
nated with Holy Life and Power. Indeed, the 
change in him was so great, and what he said, 
comparing it with the period before his Anoint¬ 
ing, so blessed, that the people could hardly 
accept the evidence of their own senses ; but,. 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


107 


turning to each other in wonder, they said : 
‘‘Is not this Joseph’s son?” (Luke iv. 20-22.) 

9. The Dove-Presence, the Holy Ghost in 
“bodily shape,” was hereafter forever the 
possession of the man, Jesus. He walked in 
his presence, and taught and labored in his 
power. He was to him the “ Finger of God.” 
(Luke xi. 20.) By him, he was carried along 
in all of his ministry of word and healing ; in 
all of his liftings up of humanity; in the great 
agony of the Garden, and the awful suffering 
upon the rugged Cross ; and also in his blessed 
resurrection and glorious ascension. In heaven 
to-day stands Jesus, the Christ, “ a Lamb, as 
it had been slain ;” and from him, out of every 
avenue of the New Jerusalem, as “ the Light 
thereof,” shines the same Anointing, descrip¬ 
tively called the “Gloryof God.” (Rom. viii. 
11; Acts vii. 5 j ; Rev. v. 6 ; xxi. 11, 23.) 

10. Mark this : after his Anointing, Jesus 
was “ full of the Holy Ghost.” It was in this 
state of fullness that he was “ led by (in) the 
Spirit into the wilderness.” Then he “returned 
in the power of the Spirit into Galilee,” where 
he declared : “ The Spirit of the Lord is upon 
me.” Again he says : “ If I cast out devils by 
(in) the Spirit of God,” etc. (Luke iv. 1, 14, 
18; Matt. xii. 28.) The two expressions, 


108 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


“upon” and “in,” from their connection, have 
similar force and meaning. Christ performed 
all of his mission with the Anointing upon him, 
or “in the Spirit.” That is, he was in this 
all-pervading Presence, and he felt him as a 
loving and gentle pressure upon his spiritual 
sensibilities. From him he received immediate 
direction, impulse, and power; insomuch that 
he never for a moment erred or came short of 
his full work and power. Practically, it is this 
Dove-Anointing which makes the man, Jesus, 
to be Lord, both in heaven and on earth. 

11. Now notice that originally the “ Gift 
of the Holy Ghost” was called the “Promise of 
the Father.” This promise was made some 
eight hundred and thirty years before its fulfill¬ 
ment. And also notice that it became as 
specifically the promise of the Son. Jesus said: 
“If I depart, I will send him unto you.” Thus 
the promise of the Holy Ghost was jointly that 
of the Father and the Son ; and so it continues 
to be to the present time. (Acts i. 4 ; Joel ii. 
28, 29 ; John xvi. 7.) 

12. The apostle John calls the descended 

Holy Ghost the Chrisma , or Chrism. He says : 
“ But ye have an Unction (Gr., Chrisma ) from 
the Holy One ;” that is from Jesus. And 
again, in the same connection : “ But the 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


109 


Anointing (Gr., Chrisma) which ye have re¬ 
ceived of him abideth in you, and ye need not 
that any man teach you ; but the Anointing 
(Gr., Chrisma ) teacheth you,’* etc. (1 Johnii. 
20, 27.) We see that Jesus became the Christos , 
Christ, or Anointed, through the Chrisma, or 
Anointing. And by this, the Christos , Christ, 
or Anointed, is able to bestow upon his people 
the Chrisma , or Anointing, who is the Holy 
Ghost. The descent of the Dove upon Jesus 
made possible, and even implied and foretold, 
the descent of the same Dove upon the Church. 
It was the key to Pentecost, and the advertise¬ 
ment of the descending Spirit upon believers in 
all succeeding ages. The Anointed Head of the 
Church, Jesus, is the Anointer of “the Church, 
which is his body.” Bless his name forever ! 

Standing on the vantage-ground now reached, 
we may notice some points which are closely 
connected with it. 

1. Jesus received the personal Holy Ghost 
at the beginning of his ministry. Yet, so far 
as we can discover, he did not confer the same 
Gift upon a single one of his followers for three 
years and more, or until after the ascension. 
Also, he does not appear to have made the 
matter even one of free discourse until the 


110 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


very close of his ministry. (John xiv. 16, 
etc.) John the Baptist prophesied of the com¬ 
ing of the Holy Ghost as the great Baptism ; 
but there is no record that before the resurrec¬ 
tion, Jesus ever referred to John’s prophecy 
except on one occasion. This was upon the 
last day of one of the great feasts', when he 
cried out: “ He that believeth, on me, out of 
his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” 
(John vii. 38.) And even then our Lord could 
not have been fully understood. 

2. But why did not Jesus confer the Gift of 
the Holy Ghost during his personal ministry ? 
He conferred that of healing; why was the 
greater and crowning one withheld ? Doubtless 
there was somewhere an impracticability in the 
case. John tells us what it was, thus : “The 
Holy Ghost was not yet given, because Christ 
was not yet glorified. ^ And Jesus him¬ 
self, with notable emphasis, gave the same 
reason : “I tell you the truth ; it is expedient 
for you that I go away; for if I go not away, 
the Comforter will not come unto you ; but if I 
depart, I will send him unto you.” (John vii. 
39 ; xvi. 7.) 

3. We can in this connection see, that while 
the Spirit-filled Jesus was with his disciples, 
they were not in quite so urgent a need of the 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


Ill 


Indwelling Comforter, as they would be after his 
departure. Moreover, as we have already seen, 
their spiritual life did not so fully apprehend 
the Indwelling Christ, before the crucifixion, as 
to properly make them candidates' for the dis¬ 
tinctive Gift of the Holy Ghost. (Refer to 
chapter 12 of this work.) 

4. It was certainly a part of the Father’s 
plan to mark the advent of the Holy Ghost, and 
to inaugurate his work, as specifically and 
forcibly as he had that of the Son. 

5. But was there anything in the state, and 
position of the Anointed Jesus himself, which 
prevented him from dispensing the great Gift 
before the crucifixion? There was. The Atone¬ 
ment was not yet actually made. The Dispen 
sation of the Son, though a verity, was not an 
entirety. Christ himself had not passed those 
final experiences of death, resurrection and 
ascension, which were to crown his fitness to 
confer the special Anointing upon his followers. 
He received the Holy Ghost as the Son of Man, 
while on earth ; but he only confers him on 
others as the Son of God, from heaven. 

6. From the foregoing, we may begin to 
understand the meaning of our Lord in these 
remarkable words : “Verily, verily, I say unto 
you, he that believeth on me, the works that I 


112 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


do shall he do also ; and greater works than 
these shall he do; because I go unto my 
Father.” (John xiv. 12.) Many great mira¬ 
cles had Christ performed; but what greater 
ones should/ there be, under the ministrations 
of the present and future believers? Now it 
must be considered, that the promise stands in 
immediate connection with that for their recep¬ 
tion of the Holy Ghost. It appears, then, that 
they must receive the Holy Ghost before they 
could do these “greater works.” These works 
were the conferring upon still others, though 
but instrumentally and in faith, of the same 
distinctive “Gift of the Holy Ghost.” Surely 
here were works abundantly greater than com¬ 
mon miracles. Christ had not done them. But 
these they should do. (Acts viii. 15-20 ; x. 
44-47 ; xix. 6.) 


Chapter XVIII. 




THE EPOCH OF THE HOLY GHOST. 

W HE coming of the Holy Ghost forms an 
epoch in Christian experience. It is 
a crisis in the spiritual life. In the nature 
of things it cannot be a gradual illumination, 
but, instead, an instant appearing. Light is a 
matter of degrees ; but the Holy Ghost is a 
person. A person is either present or absent; 
he must be one or the other; therefore the 
Holy Ghost must enter the heart in an instant 
of time. 

The epoch of the Holy Ghost is subsequent 
to conversion. So it was with the apostle?, and 
so it is with us. It marks the dividing line 
between the Second and Third Dispensations. 

Particular attention must be called to the 
following Scripture: “ And I will pray the 
Father, and he shall give you Another Com¬ 
forter, that he may abide with you forever; 
even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world can¬ 
not receive, because it seeth him not, neither 
knoweth him ; but ye know him, for he dwelleth 
with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave 


8 


113 


114 


THE TWO-'FOLD GIFT 


you comfortless ( marg ., orphans); I will come 
unto you.” (John xiv. 16-18.) The Revised 
Version and others substantially agree with the 
Authorized Version. Albeit, it ought to be 
mentioned, that Dean Alford renders the clause, 
“ shall be in you,” in the present tense, “ is in 
you.” But if this be correct, still it makes no 
difference in the general sense, because the 
passage means nothing if it does not mean that, 
however the Spirit may have come, there is a 
clear sense in which he is yet to come. Alford 
appears to follow the Codex Vatican ; but the 
Revised Version and several reputable transla¬ 
tions follow the Authorized Version. 

1. The doctrine of the text is, that it is an 
utter impossibility for the “ world”—that is, 
sinners—to “ receive” the Holy Ghost as the 
Comforter, or as a person. It is quite true that 
the Spirit is “ poured out upon all flesh,” and 
that, “ when he is come, he will reprove (re¬ 
proves) the world of sin, and of righteousness, 
and of judgment.” (Acts ii. 17 ; John xvi. 8.) 
But it is equally true that we never hear those 
who are of the “ world” testify that they know 
anything about the Spirit as a person. Such 
a thought is quite outside of their thoughts ; for 
at best they apprehend him only as an influence 
—as “ it,” a thing, rather than “ he,” a person. 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


115 


2. The doctrine of the text is, that in the 
primary or regenerate experience of the saved, 
there is no conscious indwelling of the Holy 
Ghost as a person. The most that they know 
of him in his personality is, that he witnesses 
to their adoption and child-state ; because the 
text declares : u Ye know him, for he dwelleth 
with you.” He is already the agent of their 
comforts, but not their personal Comforter; 
and the cry which he makes within them is not 
of himself, but “ Abba, Father !” and “ Thou 
art the Christ,” the Savior, “ the Son of the 
living God.” (Rom. viii. 15; Matt. xvi. 16.) 

3. The doctrine of the text is, that after 
Jesus had left his disciples, they should receive 
the Holy Ghost as the Parakletos , or Paraclete, 
Advocate, Comforter. “ Advocate, not Com¬ 
forter,” says Canon Farrar, “ is perhaps always 
the right rendering of Parakletos. (Early Days 
of Christianity .) Yet it appears to be generally 
conceded that the term sometimes means Com¬ 
forter, and it probably has a shade of this 
meaning in the text. The doctrine is, that the 
Spirit was to come to the disciples in a higher 
sense than they had received him in regenera¬ 
tion. (John iii. 5.) Grammatically, and by 
position and force of language, the Parakletos ,. 
or Advocate, is a person; and as such Jesus 


116 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


here ordains that they should receive him. 
They already had two personal Advocates, 
Comforters, the Father and the Son ; but now 
there should be “ another Comforter,” or three 
of them, including the Holy Ghost. 

4. The doctrine of the text is, that Jesus 
himself was coming to his disciples again. In 
a part of it, the eighteenth verse, this promise 
is found : “ I will come unto you.” Certainly 
this does not refer to our Lord as receiving back 
such of his followers as forsook him when he 
was arrested and brought to trial; nor to the 
recovery of any spiritual comfort, the loss of 
which his bodily absence might occasion them ; 
nor again, it would seem, to the more excel¬ 
lent experience which they should receive be¬ 
fore Pentecost. But it is the promise of a new 
coming. We notice particularly, that it is given 
in immediate connection with that of the Com¬ 
forter, the Holy Ghost. This new coming of 
Christ, therefore, was one which was connected 
with the coming of the Holy Ghost. They 
were to come together. 

In the first place, the words, “ I will come 
unto you,” indicate the coming of Christ as 
the Cleanser. The Paraclete, in his coming, 
Was to apply the blood (life) of Christ in taking 
away inbred sin. And in the next place, for 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


117 


the first time Christ was to be made known to 
his people through the medium of the realized 
personal, Indwelling Holy Ghost. The more 
perfectly developed medium would bring them 
to a higher knowledge of the personal Christ 
than ever before. And so at the present day, 
this further coming and manifestation are an 
universal experience of the children of God, as 
they receive the blessing of entire sanctification. 
It is wonderful to what blessed fellowship with 
our Lord we come. 

5. But Christ also said: “We will come 
unto him that is, the Father and Son would 
come again to that one who loved the Son. 
(John xiv. 23.) Under the presence of the 
Spirit, the knowledge and fellowship of the 
Father as well as of the Son, would take on an 
intensified character. And certainly this is so 
at the present day. 

Thus the communion of the Holy Ghost does 
not confuse our sense of the Father and the 
Son. It powerfully augments it. 

1. The coming of the Paraclete is the seal 
of our inheritance. Paul wrote : -“In whom 
(Christ) having believed, ye were sealed with 
that Holy Spirit of Promise, which is an earnest 
of our inheritance.” (Eph. i. 13, W. V ’. See 


118 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


also Eph. iv. 30.) That is, not in regeneration, 
but as the “ Holy Spirit of Promise,” or 
promised Paraclete, he seals us. 

2. The sealing of an instrument is that last 
act which gives it vitality. So this sealing of 
the Spirit is that final touch and impress which 
declares us to be “ meet to be partakers of the 
inheritance of the saints in lightthat is, fit 
for heaven. (Col. i. 12.) The sealing of the 
Holy Ghost consummates finally the Epoch of 
the Holy Ghost. 

Inspiration has made use of two very 
different sets of terms to designate the Blessed 
Spirit. The first set is as follows: “ Spirit of 
God,” “Spirit of Jehovah,” or “of the Lord,” 
“ My Spirit,” “ Spirit of Christ,” or “of his 
Son.” These terms are, each one of them, 
purely impersonal in form. The second set is 
as follows: “Holy Ghost,” or its equiva¬ 
lent, “Holy Spirit,” and Paraclete,” “Ad¬ 
vocate,” “Comforter.” These terms are, 
each one of them, as purely personal as the 
others are impersonal. Now note the uses of 
the two sets.; an illustration will do this : Paul 
describes the witnessing to the believer’s adop¬ 
tion in the following words : “ God hath sent 
forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts. 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 119 

crying, Abba, Father !” But how different the 
form used in describing the witnessing to the 
believer’s entire sanctification, which is in the 
following words : “ By one offering he hath 
perfected forever them that are sanctified; 
whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness unto 
us.” (Gal. iv. 6; Rom. viii. 14-16; Heb. x. 
14, 15.) The impersonal term is applied in the 
first instance, and the personal one in the last 
instance. How natural this appears, when we 
understand that the experience of the regenerate 
but scarcely touches upon the personality of 
the Holy Ghost; whereas, that of the wholly 
sanctified makes this personality a factor of the 
highest import. 11 In regeneration, the Holy 
Ghost witnesses to us of the personality of the 
Father and the Son, but not of his own person¬ 
ality the latter witnessing is in the Last Dis¬ 
pensation. If we make an extended examina¬ 
tion of the use of the two sets of terms 
described, as they are found in the Holy 
Scriptures, we shall discover that usually, 
though not universally, the personal ones are 
applied to the Holy Ghost where the facts of 
the Second Dispensation are concerned; while 
the personal ones are as generally applied to 
him where the facts of the Third Dispensation 
are concerned. 


Chapter XIX. 


THE EPOCH OF THE HOLY GHOST-CONTINUED. 

AN we fix the Epoch of the Holy Ghost, as 
it occurred in the experience of the one 
hundred and twenty disciples of our Lord? It 
will be well to attempt it. 

1. On the first evening after the resurrec¬ 
tion, Jesus having shown himself to his disciples, 
he said to them : “As my Father hath sent me, 
even so send I you.” Then he “ breathed on 
them, and said unto them : Receive ye the Holy 
Ghost.” (John xx. 19-22.) But was this 
promise verified at the very moment of the 
breathing? Certainly not; there is no record 
of anything of the kind. The words and sym¬ 
bolism employed refer simply to that other 
promise, of the giving of the Holy Ghost, which 
Jesus had made just before his arrest ; and the 
present one was evidently intended to encourage 
the hope and strengthen the faith of his loved 
ones in its fulfillment. That is all. 

2. It is believed that the one hundred and 
twenty received the Gift of the Holy Ghost all 
at once, and on the day of Pentecost. But we 
shall see. After the ascension they “ returned 


120 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 121 

to Jerusalem with great joy.” There they met 
together, and held a “ Regular Holiness Meet¬ 
ing,” New Series, No. 1. The occasion of it 
was the commands of Jesus. The first of these 
was an emphatic “ Go ”—“ Go ye into all the 
world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” 
The second of these, yet the one to be first 
obeyed, was as emphatic a “ Tarry ”—“ But 
tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be 
endued with power from on high.” (Mark xvi. 
15 ; Luke xxiv. 49.) So, of course, there was 
a tarrying. The places of their meeting were 
“ an upper room” and “ in the temple ;” or 
possibly there was but one place, the upper 
room being in the temple. Here they as¬ 
sembled, and praised God daily, until Pentecost, 
which was “ not many days hence.” 

3. As humanity, and sin, and the essential 
salvation of God, are the same in all ages, this 
meeting must have been considerably similar to 
our modern “ holiness meetings.” The disci¬ 
ples not only praised God, but, through spirit¬ 
ual touch and conviction, must have remem¬ 
bered their former bickerings and worldliness, 
their fears and failures. They were powerfully 
wrought upon. Doubtless they soon saw the 
necessity of the distinctive blessing of heart- 
purity. They found out that the command to 


122 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


* 1 tarry ’ ’ was for the emptying out of sin, as well 
as for the pleasant blessings of the Gift and 
Enduement of the Holy Ghost. So they met 
the conditions of full cleansing by giving up 
inbred sin, and by a full and hearty acquies¬ 
cence in the will of God in all things. 

4. Very likely at first but very few of the 
disciples were able to make the needed reckon¬ 
ing, “dead indeed unto sin;” and then more 
and more of them, to the last day. Possibly 
the feeling and desire at last arose so high that 
an all-night “watch-meeting” was improvised, 
and the last of their number came to the desired 
surrender just as the sun was rising over 
Olivet on the morning of Pentecost. Ah ! in 
that consecrated hall there were hearty con¬ 
gratulations, and animated rejoicings. Loftier 
than at the first their praises must have ascended 
to their Anointed and Risen Lord. 

5. But are they now ready to go out? No ; 
not yet. Somehow their expectations are not 
fully met. The human part is done; but they 
wait, expecting and believing, for that which 
God alone can do. Their faith does not relax, 
but it rather acquires volume and intensity as 
the moments speed away. 

6. What next? “And suddenly there came 
a sound from heaven, as of .a rushing , mighty wind; 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


m 


and it filled all the house where they were sitting. ’ ’ 
What is this sound ? It is the sound of the de¬ 
scending Holy Ghost. And what is this seeming 
wind ? It is the Holy Ghost himself , as he de¬ 
scends from heaven , to consummate the Last Dis¬ 
pensation of saving grace upon earth. He at 
once “ fell on them ”—on the waiting, expect¬ 
ant one hundred and twenty. (Acts ii. 2.) 

7. This coming upon the disciples was not 
merely a matter of contact. Then and there — 
and not before—they were all ‘ ‘ Baptized with 
the Holy Ghost. ’ * Then and there—and not be¬ 
fore—they were all cleansed from inbred sin. 
The Holy Ghost penetrated the core of every 
heart; and by the merit of atoning blood, the 
blessed Baptism took away the old Adamic cor¬ 
ruption, the “ old man,” the “ body of sin,” 
and they were made every whit clean. Praise 
the Lord forever ! (Acts xi. 15, 16; xv. 9; 
Rom. vi. 6.) 

8. But this spiritual descent upon the day 
of Pentecost was much more than the Baptism 
of the Holy Ghost, purifying the hearts of the 
one hundred and twenty; as precious and 
necessary as this blessing could be to them. 
The Holy Ghost then came icpon them as the dis¬ 
tinctive 11 Gift of the Holy Ghost;" as the third 
Person of the Trinity , in his personal character 


124 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


and manifestation ; as the Paraclete , Advocate, 
Comforter ; and as such, to be realized here on 
earth, to all of the children of God who 
accept and receive him. He came as the 
li Anointing which Abideth ”—ever to abide in 
their faithful hearts. (Acts ii. 38; John xiv. 
16 ; 1 John ii. 27.) 

Mark the plain fact: It was not in going out 
to the people to preach to them, but in the 
“ upper-room ” convocation, while yet tarrying, 
in expectation, with the Lord, that the disciples 
received the distinctive “ Gift of the Holy 
Ghost.” The blessing by which they went out 
and preached was the movement or activity of 
the “ Gift,” as well as the “Gift” himself. 
(Acts ii. 2, 6.) 

9. The coming of the Holy Ghost upon the 
disciples of the Despised Nazarene, with the 
accompanying manifestations, naturally made a 
great stir among them. They doubtless leaped, 
and shouted, and praised God wonderfully. 
Then how natural it was that these things 
should be “noised abroad,” and that the people 
should come running together, under the impulse 
of a sharp curiosity. Perhaps some of them 
ran up the stairway excitedly, and into the 
“ upper room,” where they stood gazing upon 
the scene with amazement and awe. But it is 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


125 


very certain that the “ servants ” and “hand¬ 
maids,” as Joel calls them, were so transformed 
and enlarged in spirit—so mightily moved upon 
of God—that before long they burst out of the 
chamber spontaneously, and down into the 
street or temple-space in a kind of happy tumult. 
Here they met the cold wave of sin and opposi¬ 
tion, but instantly overcame it. With anointed 
hearts and tongues they witnessed, and preached, 
and exhorted, “with the Holy Ghost sent down 
from heaven.” 

10. The disciples had obeyed the command, 
“ Tarry ye,” and the blessing had not only 
come upon themselves, but now, in the form of 
mighty conviction, it fell upon the multitude 
to whom they spake, and whom God had pro¬ 
vided “ out of every nation under heaven.” 
The people were “ pricked in their hearts ” so 
keenly that thousands of them cried out: “ Men 
and brethren, what shall we do ?’ ’ And thousands 
of them gave up their sins and rebellion against 
God, believed into the Risen Messiah, and were 
saved. Alleluia, forever L (Acts ii.) 


Chapter XX. 


THE ANOINTING. 

J>T was a custom of the ancients to anoint 
their heads with oil; and the same is true 
of the inhabitants of some Eastern countries 
to-day. This was done for their personal com¬ 
fort and appearance. It was also a sign of 
gladness and joy; and sometimes the absence 
-of it was a token of sorrow. (Psa. xxiii. 5 ; 
Dan. x. 3 ; Matt. vi. 17.) In the days of Jesus, 
to anoint one was to show him reverence or 
love. (Matt. xxvi. 7-13.) Articles for Divine 
service, and priests, prophets and kings, were 
•consecrated by anointing them with oil. Also, to 
anoint was an appointment to, or special recog¬ 
nition of, place, office, or power. (Gen. xxviii. 
18; Exod. xxx. 23-33; 1 Sam. xvi. 13; 1 
Kings xix. 16.) 

1. Scripturally, anointing with oil was a 
rtype and figure of spiritual anointing. This was 
so in the case of the priests and kings of old. 
(Exod. xxviii. 41 ; 1 Sam. x. 1.) But Jesus, 
our great High Priest, was not anointed with 
oil, the type of the Holy Ghost, but with the 
antitype, the Holy Ghost himself. (Luke iv. 
18 ; Acts iv. 27; x. 38.) 


126 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


127 


2. The Father and the Son together anoint 
the prepared people of God with the Holy 
Ghost. Paul says: “ Now he which stab- 
lisheth us with you in Christ, and hath 
Anointed us, is God ;” that is, the Father. 
And John says : “The Anointing which ye 
have received of him (Christ), abideth in you.” 
(2 Cor. i. 21 ; 1 John ii. 27.) This Anoint¬ 
ing is not a mere momentary touch of the 
Spirit upon the sensibilities ; but as we now see, 
it is something that “abideth.” It is nothing 
less than the coming , continuance , and indwelling , 
as such, of the Personal Holy Ghost . The iden¬ 
tification of the two—the Anointing and the 
indwelling Holy Ghost—is found in the fact 
that John ascribes to the Anointing clear per¬ 
sonal function, as a teacher, by declaring: “ The 
same Anointing teacheth you of all things;” 
while Jesus says, similarly, of the personal Holy 
Ghost : “ He shall teach you all things ;” and 
again : “ When he, the Spirit of Truth, is come, 
he will guide you into all truth.” (1 John ii. 27; 
John xiv. 26 ; xvi. 13.) As the Anointing of 
Jesus was the union of the Divine Spirit with 
the human spirit, precisely so is the Anointing 
of the children of God. 

3. Mark this expression of the evangelist : 

* “ The Anointing which ye have received of him 


128 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


abideth in you.” Here is stability. As 
Christ’s priesthood is an unchangeable one, so 
the Holy Ghost, the Anointing, is our un¬ 
changing Advocate and Comforter. Blessings 
come and go; but the Blesser, the greatest 
blessing of all, abideth continually. No matter 
what the exigencies of life, he is ever ready to 
lead us into all necessary truth. Isaiah looked 
forward into the Pentecostal age, and speaking 
of him in the plural number, as John speaks of 
him in the Apocalypse as the “ Seven Spirits of 
God,” says : “ And though the Lord give you 
the bread of adversity and the water of afflic¬ 
tion, yet shall not thy Teachers be removed into 
a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy 
Teachers; and thine ears shall hear a word be¬ 
hind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye 
in it; when ye turn to the right hand, and 
when ye turn to the left. (Isa. xxx. 20, 21.) 

4. It must be noticed, however, that while 
personality arid stability are predicated of the 
Divine Anointing, yet the terni “Anointing,” 
more fully than the term “ Holy Ghost,” 
represents refreshing and power. As oil is 
peculiarly refreshing to the child of the Orient, 
so is the Anointing of God to the child of God. 
And by new operations of the same, the “in¬ 
ward man is renewed day by day.” Hence it is 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


129 


written : “Ye shall receive power, after that 
the Holy Ghost is come upon you.” As the 
Dove-Anointing made Jesus to be the Savior, 
and Lord of all Jehovah’s resources for the 
good of man, so does the “ Chrism from the 
Holy One” prepare us for efficiency in the 
Church of God. In strictness there are no 
duplicate Anointings; yet we know that the 
thousand re-manifestations of the one only 
“ Anointing which Abideth,” are seasonable in 
making us “ strong in the Lord, and in the pow¬ 
er of his might. ’’ (Psa. xcii. 10; Eph. vi. 10.) 

5. Apropos in nearly everything is the fol¬ 
lowing, from an unknown writer of the last 
generation. “ A young man rises in the pulpit. 
You see nothing engaging in his person, 
nothing musical in his voice, nothing winning 
in is manner. He has no reputation for genius, 
or learning, or wisdom ; no illustrious ancestry, 
or secular sources of influence or authority. 
He speaks ; but when you come to analyze his 
speech, you may find neither logical ability nor 
rhetorical charms in it ; indeed, it may be 
wanting in connection, and void of new thought; 
yet all listen with eager interest. The guilty is 
sobered ; the worlding feels that he is a fool ; 
the sinner shudders as if brought to the mouth 
of hell; the saint resolves to live a better life ; 


130 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


the minister who has preached for fame, turns 
pale ; and the whole crowd trembles as in the 
presence of God. What is the cause? We call 
it Unction. The man has been in his closet, 
has wrestled with God, and prevailed. He has 
received his commission anew, and had a fresh 
Anointing from the Holy One. He did not tell 
you this, but you found it out ; you detected 
the oder of the Divine Ointment, as the smell 
of a field that the Lord had blessed; and there¬ 
fore his words went forth into your heart with 
power as the words of God. Test the dis¬ 
courses of Whitefield, Massillon, Summerfield, 
by logical or rhetorical re-agents, and you will 
be at an utter loss to account for their results. 
As well test the power of the lightning by an¬ 
alyzing the raindrops that fall from the clouds. 
A few weeks since, we heard one who has been 
instrumental in the conversion of more souls, 
perhaps, that any one of his age in this genera¬ 
tion. Men flock around him, and a marvelous 
power goes forth from him. It was so when we 
listened to him; and yet, how little did he say ! 
Least we might have been inappreciative, we 
turned to an aged philosopher, and asked him 
what he thought. ‘ There is not sense enough in 
his discourse to fill a lady’s thimble ; but there is 
devotion enough to float the chariot of Elijah.’ ” 


Chapter XXI. 


THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


UNDOUBTEDLY the Gift of the Personal 
Holy Ghost is the great desideratum in 
the experience of the child of God while he yet 
dwells in the flesh. But it must not be lost 
sight of, that there is also the most dis¬ 
tinct and emphatic promise, that he shall be 
“ Baptized with the Holy Ghost.” (Literally, 
11 Baptized in the Holy Ghost.”) (Matt. iii. 11; 
Acts ii. 17, 18 ; xi. 16.) This Baptism is not 
the same as the Gift; it is, rather, the work of 
the Gift in his specific coming. Therefore we 
see that the two should not be confounded. 
Nevertheless, we cannot in all particulars dis¬ 
tinguish between their effects, because the latter 
sometimes, practically, run into and embrace 
each other. 

1. To understand fully the bearings of the 
point now presented, it will be necessary to 
examine more fully than heretofore into the 
essential nature of baptism ; or more strictly, 
into its force and bearing. The word u bap¬ 
tism” is from the Greek } baptisma ; it is there¬ 
fore to be found only in the New Testament, 


131 


132 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


which was written in that language. But bap¬ 
tism itself is indicated in the Old Testament, 
under the terms “wash” and “washed.” The 
ordinance of baptism probably antedates the day 
of Moses. Baptism indicates separation. This 
is its primary and ordinary force and direction. 
It indicates separation simply , or separation in 
the form of cleansing , as each particular case may 
demand. This view will be found true on a 
judical investigation of those places in the New 
Testament which show the meaning of baptism; 
and the same may be said of those in the Old 
Testament which show the object and meaning 
of symbolic washing. (See Matt. iii. 6-8 ; 
Mark vii. 2-8; x. 39; Acts xxii. 16; Rom. vi. 
3-5; Col. ii. 11, 12; 1 Peter iii. 21; and Exod. 
xxix. 4; xl. 32; Lev. xiv. 3-9; 2 Kings v. 
10-14.) 

2. From the general meaning of baptism, as 
herein shown, we come naturally and directly 
to the “ Baptism of the Holy Ghost.” It is 
an application of the Holy Ghost to the heart. 
And it is such an application as separates from 
the heart that which is contrary to God and his 
holiness. As the one thus baptized is already 
freed from his actual transgressions, and is a 
child of God, and is therefore in a general 
sense dedicated to God, we are brought to the 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


133 


discovery that the “ Baptism of the Holy 
Ghost” is that act of the Holy Ghost whereby 
inbred sin, the “ sin of the world,” is cleansed 
from the heart. It is not a general separation 
to God only, as we see in conversion; but it 
is that particular separation, through the merits 
of Christ’s blood, whereby the whole spiritual 
nature of man is finally cleansed from the virus 
of sin. (Acts xv. 9.) 

3. Peter, speaking on one occasion of his 
visit to the house of Cornelius, said : “ As I 
began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, 
as on us at the beginning. Then remem¬ 
bered I the word of the Lord, how that 
he said, John indeed Baptized with water, 
but ye shall be Baptized with the Holy Ghost.” 
Speaking at another time of this same visit, 
Peter said: “And God, which knoweth all 
hearts, bare them witness, giving them the 
Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; and put 
no difference between us and them, purifying 
their hearts by faith.” (Acts xi. 15, 16; xv. 
8, 9.) Comparing together what the apostle 
said in these two speeches, we notice that at the 
the very time when the Jewish disciples at 
Jerusalem and the Gentile disciples at Cesarcea 
received the distinctive “ Gift of the Holy 
Ghost,” they also received him as a Baptizer 


134 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


and a Purifier. Baptism being cleansing, it 
was the “Baptism of the Holy Ghost” that 
purified all of those disciples. That is, the 
Holy Ghost as a Baptizer cleansed their hearts ; 
not from guilt, for this had already been done, 
but from inbred sin. He sanctified them wholly. 

4. The epoch of the “ Gift of the Holy 

Ghost” and of the “Baptism of the Holy 
Ghost” are thus the same. Or, there are two 
epochs, coetaneous, and blended into one. 
Some find a difficulty at this point; but the 
New Testament separates the two things in 
thought, and as facts accomplished; and that is 
all. The sayings of Peter, above quoted, are 
conclusive; the “giving them the Holy Ghost,” 
the being “Baptized with the Holy Ghost,” 
and the “purifying their hearts by faith,” are 
all placed by him at the same instant of time. 
It is the cojning of the * ‘ Gift of the Holy Ghost ’ * 
by which we are “Baptized with the Holy 
Ghost.” As the “Gift” is retained, so is also 
the Baptism retained. Under the present Dis¬ 
pensation of grace, without the coming of the 
Personal Paraclete, there can be no Baptism 
that takes away inbred sin. The two are vitally 
connected together. • 

5. But it is not necessarily true, nor is it 
true, that the Baptism and the “Gift” 


are 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 135 

always simultaneously reported to the conscious¬ 
ness. Nor afterward, when the believer is 
established in the grace of entire sanctification, 
does the consciousness inevitably hold both of 
these facts at all times ; or necessarily both of 
them with equal clearness and power. These 
variations grow out of the varied circumstances 
and wants of the sanctified, and the varied will 
of God concerning them. Especially, when the 
grace of full holiness at first occurs, it is not at 
all strange that the mind is mainly taken up with 
the thought of purity, since the conviction for 
purity has previously engaged the attention so 
positively. 

6. There is no other Baptism than that of 
the Holy Ghost. Paul declares that there is 
“ one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” (Eph. iv. 
5.) Surely this statement does not refer to 
water-baptism at all; nor does it destroy such 
baptism. It simply relegates it to its proper 
place, not as saving but typical, and declaratory 
of discipleship. Spirit-Baptism is the only real 
Baptism there is, because it is the only Baptism 
which confers spiritual substance. 

7. There is but one Baptism of the Holy 
Ghost. It is true that this Baptism can be 
lost, and then reclaimed; but that which is 
reclaimed can be nothing else than the very 


136 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


same which is lost. What are sometimes called 
“repeated Baptisms of the Holy Ghost” are 
misnamed. They are, as Paul calls them, 
“manifestations,” and “demonstrations,” and 
“ refreshings” of the Holy Ghost. (1 Cor. xii. 
7 ; ii. 4 ; Rom. xv. 32.) They give to the soul 
comfort and strength, knowledge and wisdom. 
The Scriptures absolutely make no reference to 
repetitions of the Spirit-Baptism; no doubt 
because nothing of the kind exists. 

8. The Holy Ghost is the immediate 
Almighty Agent in the blessed Baptism; yet the 
promise and the power are equally that of the 
Father and the Son. The Father gave the Son, 
as the foundation of the work ; and the Son 
gave his life-blood, as its immediate, procuring 
cause ; and the two in union send forth the 
Baptizer, the Holy Ghost, to sanctify the saiiits. 
(Compare John iii. 16 with Jude 1 ; compare 
Eph. v. 25-27 with 1 John i. 7 ; and compare 
Luke xxiv. 49 with Matt. iii. 11, etc.) 


* Chapter XXII. 


THE BAPTISM OF FIRE. 

J OHN the Baptist declared to his countrymen 
concerning Jesus : “ I indeed Baptize you 
with water unto repentance; but he that cometh 
after me is mightier than I, whose shoes' I am 
not worthy to bear; he shall Baptize you with 
the Holy Ghost, and with Fire.” (Matt, 
iii. 11.) 

Some argue that the Fire-Baptism is somthing 
more and greater than the Baptism of the Holy 
Ghost. The natural argument is, that the cop¬ 
ulative “and” unites different things ; there¬ 
fore, in the Scripture cited, two distinct 
Baptisms are denominated. But hardly so. 
The “and” does not invariably unite different 
things, but sometimes the different aspects and 
•degrees of the same thing. The Pentecostal 
Baptism of Fire is not to be understood as 
another and second Baptism, but as the same 
and only Baptism of the Holy Ghost; yet in a 
form expressive of his very highest work of 
salvation and blessing. 

1. God is symbolized by Fire; and he is 
Fire. (Heb> xii. 29.) Fire represented him 


137 


138 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


when he drove the guilty pair out of the Garden 
of Eden. (Gen. iii. 24.) It represented his 
presence and holiness as it appeared to Moses 
in the burning bush. (Exod. iii. 2-5.) It 
represented the same on Mount Sinai, at the 
giving of the Law. (Exod. xix. 16-19.) 

2. God is symbolized by Light ; and- light 
proceeds from fire. (Exod. xl. 34-38.) It was 
a Light, or Glory, that represented his presence 
and holiness in the Ark and above the Mercy- 
Seat. (Lev. xvi. 2. See Isa. ix. 5 ; x. 16; 
Zech. ii. 5.) It was a Star which lighted the 
Magi from their Eastern country to Bethlehem, 
where they beheld that glorious Child, who was 
to be the very Light of the World. (Matt. ii. 2 ; 
Luke ii. 32 ; John i. 9.) It was a Light—none 
other than the Shekinah, which represented the 
God of Israel—which shone so terrifically when 
that ‘'mad” zealot, Saul of Tarsus, was stricken 
to the earth, and saved, and made to go out to 
preach the gospel of the despised Nazarene. 
(Acts xxii. 6.) It is Light which represents 
God in the New Jerusalem. (Rev. xxi. 23.) 

3. Fire represents the life and energy of 
God. At the gate of the Garden of Eden, as 
well as in other cases, God was represented 
as the God of life and power. His people 
saw him to be far different and far 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 139' 

above the dead gods of the heathen, by 
whose worship they were surrounded. Fire 
especially represents the tremendous dis¬ 
pleasure of the Almighty at sin. He cannot 
look upon it with any allowance, and is there¬ 
fore a “ Consuming Fire ” to put it all away. 

4. As the Holy Ghost is pre-eminently 
active in the affairs of men, so the Fire which 
symbolizes God, especially symbolizes the Holy 
Ghost. Of the time when Jeremiah refused to> 
“ speak any more in the name ” of Jehovah, he 
says : The truth “ was in mine heart as a 
burning fire, shut up in my bones.” (Jer. xx. 9.) 
The Holy Ghost, the Inspirer of prophecy, had 
no outlet for his messages, and the prophet was 
in danger of being consumed by the Divine 
Fire ; until he “ could not stay,” but was 
again obedient to God. John the Baptist was 
“a burning and shining light;” and this was 
so because he preached the fiery truths of the 
Almighty against sin. (John v. 35.) 

5. The Holy Ghost is specially symbolized 
by several natural agents. These are water, air, 
oil, and fire. (John vii. 37-39; xx. 22; Heb. 
i. 9; Acts ii. 3.) On the day of Pentecost, the 
Holy Ghost made his grand entrance into the 
world, in the personal character of his Dispen¬ 
sation, as a “rushing Mighty Wind,” and as 


140 THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 

“ Cloven Tongues, like as of fire.” The latter 
“ sat upon each” of the one hundred and 
twenty. (Acts ii. 2-4.) The sound of wind 
probably soon died away, so as to permit the 
preaching of Peter and the testimonials of the 
saints to be heard; but the tongues may well be 
supposed to have remained for some time, as a 
grand testimonial of the very God of Sinai. 

6, The Light and Fire of Pentecost emblem¬ 
ized the burning character of the Truth of God. 
As at Sinai, it magnified his righteousness. 
The fiery Holy Ghost burnt his way irresistibly 
into the minds and consciences of the great 
numbers of people who were present, and con¬ 
victed them of their sins. (John xvi. 7-11 ; 
Acts ii. 37.) 

7. At this point, in a brevity of words, we 
may be able to arrive at right conclusions as to 
the very nature of the Baptism of Fire. First of 
all, it is simply the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. 
At Pentecost, it was that burning act of the 
incoming personal Holy Ghost, whereby he 
separated inbred sin from the prepared hearts 
of the children of God. He was the “ Spirit of 
Burning,” by which the virtue of the Blood of 
the Atonement was applied, and they were 
sanctified wholly. (Isa. iv. 4 ; Acts xv. 8, 9 ; 
1 Thess. v. 23.) And what the Baptism of Fire 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 141 

in this respect was on the day of Pentecost, so 
it is to-day. Praise the Lord forever ! 

8. The Baptism of Fire, in the next 
place, is that peculiar inwrought and outgoing 
omnipotency of the Holy Ghost, by which, 
through us, he strikes sin such tremendous blows 
as easily to awaken the hardest men and others to 
their true condition, and their danger in resist¬ 
ing God. “ Is not my Word like a Fire? saith 
the Lord; and like a Hammer, that breaketh the 
rock in pieces?” (Jer. xxiii. 29. See Heb. iv. 
12.) Ordinary blessings only convey ordinary 
blessings; but the truth conveyed under the 
fiery Baptism, will break the “ rock ” of false¬ 
hood and sin to pieces, and melt it up before 
God, so that he may work his work of salvation 
upon men. 

9. The Baptism of Fire in no wise depends 
upon an appearance of Fire. The “ Tongues, 
like as of Fire,” which appeared on the dis¬ 
ciples on the morning of Pentecost, have all 
disappeared, and probably have never since 
been seen anywhere; but the real Baptism of 
Fire is still in the world, and will continue here 
as long as men are sinners, and there are those 
simple minded enough, to receive it for the 
good of their fellow-men. 


Chapter XXIII. 


THE TWO-FOLD EXPERIENCES OF THE HOLY GHOST. 

S has already been discovered,the “second 
X'X W ork of grace,” properly so-called, in¬ 
cludes both salvation from all sin, by the 
Baptism of the Holy Ghost, and the Gift or 
Anointing of the Holy Ghost. In connection 
with this fact, we will stand aside a little at the 
angles of observation, so as, with some partic¬ 
ularity, to distinguish those parts which mark 
the beauty of the building of God. 

1. On the side of the Baptism of the Holy 
Ghost, the first thought naturally presented is 
that of contact. God the infinite Spiritual 
Substance, touches man, the finite spiritual sub¬ 
stance. And with this thought there comes that 
of demonstration; - for man realizes the touch 
to be that of God, and nothing less than that 
of God. 

But on the side of the Anointing, and im¬ 
mediately over against the thought of contact— 
as above given—lies that of the personality 
of the Holy Ghost. And with this thought 
comes that of communion, fellowship ; for man 
realizes the Holy Ghost to be the Paraclete, or 


142 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


143 


Advocate, Comforter. This Divine Person and 
finite man enjoy each other. There are mutual 
intelligent manifestations. They find them¬ 
selves upon the same plane of holiness, interest 
and feeling ; and there spring up on each side 
various demonstrations of love and joy, which 
mingle together in a harmony without flaw. 

2. On the side of the Baptism of the Holy 
Ghost, the next thought presented is that of 
subtraction, separation, cleansing. Look a 
moment by way of review at this interesting 
point : The convert, though saved from all 
guilt, nevertheless, finds within himself a touch 
of impurity. This is original sin. But when 
the Baptism of the Holy Ghost comes upon 
him, he is made pure in the sight of God. 
It is this Baptism which fully cleanses, and 
constantly keeps us clean. Such is its grand 
office and function. There can be no such 
cleansing without the Baptism ; and there can 
be no such Baptism without the cleansing. 

But on the side of the Anointing, and im¬ 
mediately over against the thought of the sub¬ 
traction of inbred sin by the Baptism—as above 
given—lies the twin-thought of addition, in¬ 
crease, union. The Anointing is nothing more 
nor less than the Holy Ghost come into the 
heart in such a sense personal, and therefore as 


144 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


such a new and positive element of life, as was 
never before possessed. 

3. But further : On the side of the Baptism 
of the Holy Ghost, the mind is carried forcibly 
along in the channel of the work performed, 
rather than to its performer. The believer’s 
consciousness is taken up with his own personal 
experiences. He enjoys a sense of cleanness, 
purity, holiness; and takes special notice of 
his pleasurable emotions, uplifts, comforts. 

But on the side of the Anointing, and im¬ 
mediately over against the thought of cleansing 
with its accompanying sensibilities—as above 
given—lies another twin-thought, by which the 
mind is carried out of and beyond itself and 
its purity, to him, the Holy Ghost, who is 
become the Infinite Companion of our life. On 
this side, the Holy Ghost is more thought of 
as the Advocate, Comforter, than as the source 
of comfort. 

4. We may now note more particularly why 
it is so generally true, that the sanctified do not 
at first have a full consciousness of the person¬ 
ality of the Comforter. The change in their 
state from defilement to purity is so great, that 
the mind necessarily takes special note of the 
latter. They revel in a sense of cleanness. 
But let time elapse and growth in grace take 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


145 


place, and they sometimes forget entirely their 
states, and the enjoyments which are im¬ 
mediately derivable from them, and rise into the 
higher altitude of communion with the blessed 
Persons of the Trinity. 

5. In this connection we may properly scan 
the experience of T. W. Green, as it is found 
in Earl’s “ Abiding Peace.” “After I was 
enabled,” he says, “to trust Jesus as a com¬ 
plete Savior, I was strongly tempted that I had 
nothing more than I had enjoyed before, and 
that I ought not to speak of it as anything 
special. So I prayed to God to give me an 
experience that I could not doubt, and that the 
enemy, even, might not gainsay. On the eighth 
of January, 1886, while conversing with a 
minister on simple faith, the Holy Ghost came 
upon me in mighty power. For more than an 
hour, I was so filled with the sense of the 
presence of the Holy Ghost that I could hardly 
bear to hear anything spoken but the name and 
praises of the Third Person of the Adorable 
Trinity. Then came the precious Savior and 
supped with me. I had never seen him before 
as he appeared then. His love melted me, 
till I wept aloud. The Father and Holy Spirit 
were not thought of. Finally, came a con¬ 
sciousness of the Father’s love. So it was : 


10 


146 THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 

first the Spirit, then the Son, and lastly the 
Father manifested himself unto me as he does 
not unto the world. How can I praise him 
sufficiently?” (See the testimony of William 
Taylor, the missionary, in chapter eight of the 
present work.) 


Chapter XXIV. 


THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


AN was made for communion. His 
nature demands it. God also is a social 
being ; no less so than man, but infinitely so. 
Thus at the beginning God and man communed 
together. This was a great condescension on 
the part of God, and the highest grade of 
worship on the part of man. But sin separated 
the creature from his Creator; and now we are 
without this supreme fellowship, only as it is 
provided for and received in the Atonement of 
Jesus Christ our Lord. In him we have life 
from the dead ; and communion with God is 
the highest employment of this life. Our Lord 
says : “This is eternal life, that they might know 
thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom 
thou hast sent.” (John xvii. 3.) 

It has already been discovered that the great 
•element of communion with God is the Holy 
Ghost. He is, emphatically, the Communer. 
The Personal Father communes with us, and so 
does the Personal Son ; but this is done through 
the medium of the Holy Ghost. And we have 
discovered that, in the distinctive “ Gift of the 


147 


148 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


Holy Ghost,” we commune with the Holy 
Ghost himself as a person; and that in this way 
is filled up the measure of human fellowship 
with God. We as truly come to “know” the 
Holy Ghost as we do the Father and the Son ; 
and ever afterward our experience deepens and 
develops the knowledge of the persons of the 
Godhead. 

1. “ Moses, though he saw no form dis¬ 
tinctly,” says C. E. Smith, “ yet had no doubt 
that a person spoke to him from the burning 
brush. The angel, Jehovah, who appeared to 
Abraham, was a personal manifestation. Jesus 
was God in person, talking to his disciples, and 
showing to them * God manifest in the flesh.’ 
From personal revelations of God to an im¬ 
personal one, is a descent, and a grevious one. 
Was it expedient for this Incarnate Deity to 
retire in favor of an impersonal influence, or 
that which should seem merely such?” {Bap. 
in Fire.') No; the Comforter, who talks to us, 
is God in a personality; and he reveals to us 
the persons of the Triune God. Nothing is 
lost, but much is gained, in New Testament 
salvation. 

2. The New Testament basis of fellowship 
with the Holy Ghost is couched mainly in two 
words; one of them being found in Christ’s 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


149 


promises of the Holy Ghost, and the other in 
the apostolic benediction. (John xiv., xv., 
xvi.; 2 Cor. xiii. 14.) The first, Parakletos , 
commonly translated 4 * Comforter;” but 
variously meaning ‘‘ Advocate; Counselor, 
Teacher; Consoler, Supporter, Helper.” The 
second is koinonia , commonly translated “ com¬ 
munion ; ” but variously meaning “ com¬ 
munion, participation or partaking; partnership, 
society; bounty, alms-giving.” (.Pickerings 
Lexicon .) Farrar, as already quoted, says : 
“Advocate, not Comforter, is perhaps always 
the right rendering of Parakletos .” Neither of 
the two Greek words considered, when rightly 
defined, seems quite full without the other. 
Probably the term “communion” gives the 
greatest strength to what is intended to be their 
expression. Communion and fellowship are 
identical. 

3. Communion is not identity, but oneness. 
It is not mere passivity, but active-passivity- 
It includes a complete freedom, yet without 
the loss of self-respect on either side. It is the 
mutual giving and receiving of enjoyment. 

Communion involves both society and joint- 
interest, mutual converse and information, and 
mutual comfort and love ; and all of this agree¬ 
ably to the necessity or desire, as well as ability, 


150 the two-fold gift 

of the fellowshiping parties. Both give ; and 
he who gives the most, is the one who has the 
most with which to satisfy and bless the other. 

4. Applying the distinctions just given to 
communion with the Holy Ghost, we may 
safely affirm : the Infinite Paraclete has the most 
to bestow, and the finite believer has the greatest 
necessity ; yet the latter has something to give,, 
which the former is pleased to receive. The 
Holy Ghost finds in the sanctified believer a 
life with a capacity for God and goodness. 
He finds in him a true manliness; not coated 
over with sin, but renovated throughout, and 
leaving the natural man disengaged to his 
service. He finds in him the love of the Father, 
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. All 
these things are worthy of the love and fellow¬ 
ship of the Blessed Spirit. 

5. The Holy Spirit conducts communion 
with us not only on the principle of likeness, 
oneness, but of sympathy. The sympathy of 
men is something valuable; but the sympathy of 
the Spirit is invaluable. It is an actual touch, 
and uplift, that imparts strength and power. 
Our weakness and dependency require the care 
of the Strong One ; our slowness and infirmity 
call for the patience of the Loving One ; and 
our ignorance is only met in the truth and 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 151 . 

wisdom of the Infinite One. And all of these 
human needs are found in the Paraclete, and in 
those new and glorious revelations which he 
makes to us of the Father and the Son. 

6. Now sympathy comes to men in various 
forms. Even the love of a dog is not to be 
despised and ignored. But among the affec¬ 
tions of humanity, no doubt those which are 
the most sacred and ennobling belong to the 
various family relations. So when we turn 
from the purely human to the purely spiritual, 
we not unnaturally trace out the latter, as far 
as possible, in those lines which mark the 
higher fellowships of the former. We ask in 
God something of the same relationships which 
he has given to us with our fellow-men. And 
in his Word he has strengthened the instinct of 
his people in this direction. Thus, “ Abraham 
was called the friend of God.” The Lord 
says : “ I will receive you, and will be a 
Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and 
daughters.” The Son of God is the “First- 
Born of every creature,” and his people are the 
“ Church of the First-Born ;” hence he is our 
Brother, our Elder Brother. We read also : 
“ Thy Maker is thy Husband.” (James ii. 23 ; 
2 Cor. vi. 17, 18; Col. i. 15 ; Heb. xii. 23; 
Isa. liv. 5.) 


152 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


But where do we look for the motherhood 
of God? Is it to be found at all in the Divine 
nature? and is it revealed to us in the Script¬ 
ures? Doubtless to the two latter queries, we 
may, in substance, answer, “ Yes.” What we 
look for, pity, tenderness, consolation—nursing 
power, it shall be called—is found abundantly 
in Jehovah-Jireh. “ Thy gentleness,’* writes 
the Psalmist, ‘‘hath made me great.” But 
where most do we find it? Most likely the 
answer will be somewhat according to our 
obtainments in grace. We certainly shall never 
get beyond the “love” of the Father, and 
the “grace” of our Lord Jesus Christ. But 
as we reach far out into the Divine Life, we 
get more and more into the absorbing glory of 
the Holy Ghost. We behold in the third 
Person of the Trinity—he who is named 
to us, pre-eminently, “the Advocate,” “the 
Talker,” “the Consoler”—the acme of the 
motherly affection of God toward his children. 
Not every one, even of the sanctified, can 
fully receive this saying; but it is true. The 
ultimate revelations of the Spirit, as the consoler 
of the saints, are quite unknown; but enough is 
known in this direction to arouse in us the 
loftiest hopes, the sublimes 4 - faiths, the most 
sacred anticipations. 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 153 

7. The means of the fellowship of the 
sanctified with the Holy Ghost are what are 
commonly termed the “ means of grace.” The 
Bible, the teachings of the ministry, the testi¬ 
monies of the Church, and the songs of the 
redeemed, each and all, are conduits through 
which the Blessed Paraclete reaches us, and we 
reach him. We come to him in solemn prayer 
and meditation. In fact, there is scarcely 
anything, from the most devout form to the 
most trivial providence, which may not be 
the means or the “ Communion of the Holy 
Ghost.” 

One of the most beautiful because so natural 
a means of this fellowship, is by direct approach. 
This must be mutual to be effectual. The 
Spirit seeks us ; so also we seek him. He may 
come unawares, and so surprise us; or it may 
be when the door of the heart is purposely 
opened wide, and his approach is looked for 
along the golden streets of God, where his 
chariots are wont to fly. Possibly, at some 
given moment, he may not be specially appre¬ 
hended ; and certainly not, unless'we are ready 
to welcome him, as he seeks to shine in upon us 
with the glory of his presence. He is exceed¬ 
ingly sensitive to slights ; and well he may be, 
because he is our appointed Guardian, Counselor, 


154 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


and Companion. No wonder that it is written : 
“Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby 
ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” 
(Eph. iv. 30.) 

How often do the sanctified turn to the 
Comforter in hours of special need, as well as 
those of special blessing. With what natural¬ 
ness do they approach him, and how confidently 
do they speak to him. He lives not very far 
away; blessed be his Name! Indeed, he is 
already in the heart, where he can be turned to 
in a moment. He is met as we meet a friend 
indeed. He is seen, though it be with spiritual 
eyes only, as a man looks upon the face of one 
whom he loves. There are pure joys and 
delights together. And then, anon,the believer' 
turns to his ordinary employments with the 
dew of heaven upon his head. 

Glory be to God, the Father ! glory be to 
God, the Son ! and glory be to God, the Holy 
Ghost! Amen. 


Chapter XXV. 


“ IN THE SPIRIT.” 

New Testament contains a peculiar 
form of expression, relating to the Holy- 
Ghost, which deserves special attention. It is 
this : “ In the Spirit,” “ In the same Spirit,” 
“In the Holy Spirit,” and “In the Holy 
Ghost.” 

1. There are at least thirty-two places where 
one of these terms occurs, in the original of every 
one of which the Greek preposition en is found. 
This preposition is usually equivalent to the 
English, “ in.” 

2. In thirteen of these thirty-two places, 
the Authorized Version translation of en is 
“ in.” And in every one of these thirteen, the 
Revised Version translation is also “in.” 
These places are as follows; John iv. 23 and 
24 ; Acts xix. 21 ; Rom. ii. 29 ; ix. 1; xiv. 17 ; 
Eph. vi. 18; Col. i. 8 ; 1 Thess. i. 5; Jude 20; 
Rev. i. 10 ; iv. 2 ; xxi. 10. 

3. In twelve more of the thirty-two places 
alluded to, the Authorized Version trans¬ 
lation of en is “by.” But in ten of these 
twelve,the Revised Version translation is “in.” 


155 


156 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


In the other two of the twelve, this translation 
also has “ by but “ in ” is added in marginal 
readings. These twelve places ^.re as follows : 
Mark xii. 36 ; Luke ii. 27 ; 1 Cor. vi. 11 ; xii. 
3 (twice), 9 (twice), and 13; Eph. ii. 18; iii. 
5 ; Matt. xii. 28 ; Luke iv. 1. 

4. In the remaining seven of the thirty- 
two places alluded to, the Authorized Version 
translation of en is “with.” But in six of these 
seven, the Revised Version translation is also 
“with;” but “in” is added in marginal 
readings. And in the remaining one of 
the seven, this translation is “by;” but 
“in” is added as a marginal reading. These 
seven places are as follows : Matt. iii. 11 ; 
Mark i. 8 ; Luke iii. 16 ; John i. 33 ; Acts i. 
5 ; xi. 16 ; 1 Peter i. 12. 

It will be observed that in every one of the 
thirty-two passages cited, the Revised Version 
gives “ in ” for en , either in the text or the 
margin. 

1. Primarily , the experience , “ In the Spirit , ’ * 
is to possess such an envelopment and permeatio 7 i of 
the Spirit , that he is consciously felt , or appre¬ 
hended. 

The prophets and other saints of the Old 
Testament day, must have been “In the Spirit” 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


157 


in their visions and other special visitations of 
grace. So, also, the faithful and justified saints 
of the New Testament day, down to the present 
time, have often found themselves “ blessed,” 
and therefore in a proper sense of the term, 
“In the Spirit.” To be sensibly touched of 
the Spirit is, in the general sense, to be “ In 
the Spirit.” We read : “ No man can say that 
Jesus is the Lord but by (in) the Holy Ghost.” 
(1 Cor. xii. 3.) 

2. But in the highest sense , to be “Jn the 
Spirit , is to be in the Dispensation of the Spirit , 
and while there to enjoy the demonstrations of the 
presence and power of the Spirit. 

Jesus received the Spirit as a person, and 
performed all of his miracles in him—“In the 
Spirit of God.” John was “In the Spirit on the 
Lord’s day,” when he received those remarka¬ 
ble messages of the Alpha and Omega to the 
Churches of Asia. (Matt. xii. 28; Rev. i. 9-11.) 
And the term, “In the Spirit,” in the New 
Testament, appears generally to have special 
reference to those experiences of the entirely 
sanctified, which they enjoy while surrounded, 
pressed, and permeated with the demonstrated 
presence of the personal Holy Ghost. 

3. Men are said to have “believed in God ;” 
that is, in the Father. And we read in many 


158 THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 

places of believing “in” or “on”—or more 
strictly, “into”—the Son; and of being “in 
Christ.” (Titus iii. 8 ; John iii. 18 ; Rom. xii. 
5; 2 Cor. xii. 2.) Most certainly these ex¬ 
pressions concern the experiences of the believer 
with the Father or with the Son, as such. There¬ 
fore, by parity of reason, we can but conclude 
that the expression, “In the Spirit,” usually 
means more than a mere spiritual effulgence and 
surrounding; and that it concerns the expe¬ 
riences of the believer with the Holy Ghost, as 
such. In the highest sense, we cannot be in him, 
unless, in an equally high sense, he be in us. 

4. On the Divine side, to be “In the Spirit” 
is to be surrounded by the atmosphere of the 
Spirit. It is light out of heat, and truth out of 
the burning Sea of Truth. It is the touch of 
God; his contact with the soul. Pre-eminently, 
it is the special presence of the Paraclete, the 
Holy Ghost. He moves upon the mind and 
heart in his own personality. 

5. On the human side, to be “ In the 
Spirit” is to apprehend the presence of God. 
This may be in either or all of his personalities. 
We “ know” God by the Spirit. The heart is 
in a state of activity, and is turned immediately 
toward God. The spiritual sensibilities are 
acute and intensified. There is power, im- 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. • 159 

mediate, or at least immediately at hand. The 
believer is “ fervent in spirit.” (Rom. xii. 11.) 
The mind, as well as the heart, is turned toward 
God. There is an uplift out of the thought of 
the world into the thought of God. The truth 
of God is apprehended; it is separated, 
segregated, and perhaps individualized. Pun¬ 
gency is often given to the commonest spiritual 
language ; and anon, the most surprising views 
are given, and clothed in word-habiliments of the 
rarest beauty and power. 

6. There are degrees, and even contrasts, 
in the experience called “ In the Spirit.” This 
is so as concerns the concurrent natural sensi 
bilities. At times the latter are ordinary ; and 
again, under the superlative attention that is 
required by the spiritual manifestations, they 
are nearly or quite dormant. Sometimes the 
functions of the body—particularly those of the 
nerves—are arrested and held in abeyance, under 
the ravishments of the Divine Presence. Paul 
must have been in such a state, or something 
akin to it, in his vision, of which he modestly 
declares : 11 Whether in the body, I know not; 
or whether out of the body, I know not ; God 
knoweth.” (2 Cor. xii. 2.) 

7. The higher degrees of the experience, "In 
the Spirit,” are, emphatically, states of glory. 


160 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


The New Testament word “ glory” is from 
doxy, from which comes our word “ doxology.” 
Glory is simply a Divine manifestation ; a 
revelation of the essence of God; and especially 
an exaltation of him in the soul, and from the 
soul. It is the glow of his presence. To the 
child of God, therefore, glory is a pure worship- 
state. It borders on transfiguration. 

Within the veil my soul now comes, 
Shekinah’s flame I see; 

The Gloxy of thy face, my Lord, 

Is opened unto me. 

The eyes of sense no Spirit see, 

Nor thy dear face behold ; 

To eye of inner sense thou dost 
Thy Glory now unfold. 

O precious Glory of my Lord! 

O wondrous face Divine ! 

The lustre of thy presence falls, 

Deep in this soul of mine. 

8. Now, is it to be maintained that those 
who are entirely sanctified are always “ In the 
Spiiit?” In some measure this question has 
already been answered. But let it now be 
answered, Yes; and No. Yes, in a modified 
sense; but, No, in a general sense. To be “ In 
the Spirit,” as has been shown, not only in¬ 
volves the Spirit’s presence but his manifesta- 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


161 


tion. But when we are engaged in the common 
affairs of life, there is often but a latent or 
modified consciousness of the spiritual presence. 
The heart appears to feel more than the mind 
can immediately analyze; or, stated differ¬ 
ently, there is but little spiritual sensibility, 
because the mind can give comparatively 
little attention to spiritual things. Yet there 
is a secret and subtle apprehension of the 
presence and approval of God. In this 
modified sense, we may always be “ In the 
Spirit.” But in the more general one, to be 
so means some spiritual uplift, however small, 
yet specifically recognized by the mind, and to 
which the volition renders obedience. 

Note.— Many of the Divine leadings, gifts 
and powers which are unfolded in the remain¬ 
ing chapters of this work, are but varied ex¬ 
amples of the blessed experience, Biblically 
called, “In the Spirit.” 


n 


Chapter XXVI. 


SEVERAL SCRIPTURAL TERMS CONSIDERED. 

FEW terms, which in the Scriptures are 



applied to the relations of the Holy- 
Ghost and the children of God, and not yet 
commented upon, may now be considered 
together. They are much alike in their general 
bearing. The first is, “ Filled ”—“ Filled with 
the Holy Ghost.” Another is, “ Fell ”—“Fell 
upon me,” “Fell on all.” Another is, “ Sent 
down ”—” Sent down from heaven.” And yet 
another is, “ Resteth”—“ Resteth upon you.” 

In the ordinary term, “ Filled with the Holy 
Ghost,” the word “filled” evidently does not 
so much refer to quantity, addition, as to 
knowledge, demonstration. It expresses the 
presence, fullness, and power of the Holy Ghost, 
as these are demonstrated to the sensibilities 
and consciousness. And “Fell on them” is 
simply a natural expression of the fact and 
manner of the coming of the Holy Ghost, 
whether diffusively or as a person. 

1. “Filled.” In the Old Testament day, 
those who made the priestly garments of Aaron, 
and devised “ curious works ” for the sanctuary, 
162 


\ 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


163 


were said to be “ filled with the Spirit of 
Wisdom,” “ Spirit of God.” (Exod. xxviii. 3; 
xxxv. 31.) But this filling does not appear to 
have had much significance as a personal 
experience. It proves very little in that 
direction. 

2. Take notice: the terms, “Filled with the 
Spirit ” and “ Filled with the Holy Ghost,” are 
not very often to be found in the New Testament. 
Paul uses them a few times ; and so does Luke, 
his companion in travel. (Eph. v. 18; Luke 
i. 15, 41, 67 ; Acts. ii. 4 ; iv. 8, 31 ; vi. 3, 5 ; 
vii. 55 ; ix. 17 ; xiii. 9, 52.) And in the Acts, 
Luke rarely uses the expression, “ In the 
Spirit.” 

3. The term, “Filled with the Spirit,” does 
not seem to add much weight to those words of 
inspiration which signify full cleansing, and the 
indwelling of the Holy Ghost. It more usually 
indicates a mere spiritual manifestation. What 
more than this can it mean in the case of the 
infant John the Baptist? (Luke i. 15.) “Being 
Filled with the Spirit,” says L. B. Kent, “and 
being Baptized with the Spirit, are not identical. 
The apostles were baptized once ; they were 
filled with the Spirit frequently.” (Compare 
Acts ii. 4; iv. 31; xiii. 52.) In the sense of 
filling as here understood, and in this only, the 


164 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


Spirit may be frequently received, even by the 
sanctified; in this sense only he may be used, 
as food and garments are used ; and in this 
sense only he may be “ used up,” so that a 
new supply is required. Thus we find ourselves 
“ leaky vessels,” as some have said, and require 
to be “renewed day by day.” The personal 
Paraclete does not remove and then return ; yet 
the specific filling is decreased and increased . 
Hence the appropriateness of the apostolic 
injunction to the sanctified : “Be filled with the 
Spirit.” (Eph. v. 18.) However, it is by no 
means denied, but rather asserted, that there is 
a growth in entire sanctification to that point 
where the vessel constantly fills, and is 
always full. 

4. Sharp and effective work usually followed 
where the disciples received a special filling of 
the Holy Ghost. At Pentecost they were 
“ filled,” and immediately “ began to speak 
with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them 
utterance.” (Acts. ii. 4.) Peter was “ filled,” 
when the second general “revival,” as it would 
now be called, occurred, in which “ about five 
thousand” were saved. (Acts iv. 4, 8.) After 
the imprisonment and miraculous release of 
Peter and John, they went to “ their own 
company;” and holding a general prayer- 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


165 


meeting, “ the place was shaken,” and they 
were “filled” once more; and immediately 
“ they spake the Word of God with boldness.” 
(Acts iv. 23-31.) Stephen was “ filled,” when 
he did “wonders and miracles,” and disputing 
with the hardened Jews, was arrested and stoned. 
(Acts vi. 8-12 ; vii. 58.) And Paul was “filled,” 
when “ straightway he preached Christ in the 
synagogues.” Afterward, he was “filled,” 
when he denounced Elymas, the sorcerer, to his 
face. (Acts ix. 17-20; xiii. 8-11.) But it is 
certainly not to be understood that in these 
cases, either Peter, John or Paul had lost the 
indwelling of the Holy Ghost; and it was not 
in this sense that they were “ filled ” again. 

5. All the men of might and mighty success, 
in all the ages of the Church of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, have been Spirit-consecrated, and “full 
of faith and the Holy Ghost.” What could 
they have done without these things? And 
what do we to-day, without those mighty 
impulses which come from the same Almighty 
Presence. 

1. “ Upon .” The falling upon believers 

of the Holy Ghost sometimes merely signifies 
his coming as.the Baptizer, Cleanser. It some¬ 
times signifies his coming as the personal 


166 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


Paraclete, Advocate, Comforter. And it some¬ 
times signifies his coming, all at the same 
moment, in all of these ways, and for all of 
these purposes. 

2. Moses, and his helpers the seventy, who 
were made the prophets of God, had the Spirit 
of God upon them. The Spirit fell upon many 
of the Holy ones of the Father’s Dispensation ; 
although they do not appear to have known him 
as a person. (Num. xi. 16-26 ; 1 Kings xviii. 
46 ; 2 Kings iii. 15 ; Ezek. i. 3.) Doubtless 
the Spirit similarly fell upon the recipients of 
the Second Dispensation before the day of 
Pentecost, and especially after the resurrection. 
And in the same way, he falls upon the re¬ 
generate to-day. 

3. But the falling of the Spirit upon the 
children of God acquires added and distinctive 
meaning as a feature of Pentecost. He then 
presented himself as the “ Gift ” of the Father 
and the Son, to be an abiding Personal Pres¬ 
ence ; and at the same time to endue them with 
victory and power. They were transformed from 
timid, and some of them vacillating, men and 
women, into witnesses for Jesus and the gospel 
of courage, zeal and power. (Acts i. 8.) 

4. When the Holy Ghost “ falls on a con¬ 
gregation of different classes,” he “gives just 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


167 


the next thing which is to be done, in each 
individual case, in building up character.” 

W. Gorham .) That is to say, the sinner is 
convicted of his sins; the ordinary believer is 
blessed, and, it may be, convicted for a clean 
heart; and the sanctified is consciously wrought 
upon, and variously advanced in the graces of 
the Spirit. Upon the believer, who has given up 
inbred sin and has faith for cleansing, he falls in 
baptizing and sanctifying power; he comes as 
the Advocate, Comforter, the distinctive “Gift 
of the Holy Ghost.” 

5. The terms, “sent down from heaven” 
and “resteth upon you,” readily take appropri¬ 
ate places in connection with the falling of the 
spirit “upon” the people of God. Therefore 
they require no special elucidation. 

1. The Holy Ghost, in his Personal Indwell¬ 
ing and as a Baptizer, was sometimes conferred 
by the apostles in the laying on of hands. “And 
when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the 
Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with 
tongues, and prophesied.” (Acts xix. 6; viii. 
14-19.) 

2. It is not possible at the present time to 
fully determine the significance of this hand¬ 
laying act. The use of the hands in worship 


168 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


was at that time a long-established fact; and 
the laying on of hands indicated the con¬ 
ferring of distinction, office, or power. Such 
is sometimes the case at the present day, as 
when men are ordained to the gospel ministry. 

3. But even in the New Testament day, the 
laying on of hands for the reception of the 
Holy Ghost, was by no means essential and 
universal. When it was done, it could only 
have been so as the candidates were spiritually 
ready. They must have reached the death-line 
of sin, and the life-line of appropriating faith. 

4. This method of conferring the “Gift” 
has been tried in modern times, but so far as 
known, without success. Pastor N. F. Robb, 
at a camp-meeting, in 1890, said, in substance, 
that he was led of the Spirit to lay his hands 
upon a company of kneeling believers, one by 
one; that every one of them was powerfully 
blessed in the very act; but that none of them, 
as it afterward appeared, received the distinctive 
Gift of the Holy Ghost. 

5. What the future may develop in this 
matter, of course cannot be known ; nor should 
we be careful to inquire. The Holy Ghost is 
master of his own ceremonies ; let him do as he 
will. The manner of his coming is secondary ; 
but the coming itself is of primary importance. 


Chapter XXVII. 

PENTECOST. 


^U||^HE word “pentecost” means fiftieth, or 
the fiftieth day. The first Pentecost was 
the day and occasion of the giving of the 
Law on Sinai, which occurred fifty days after 
the first Passover in Egypt. This great event 
was celebrated yearly by the Israelites, by 
Divine command, and was called the “ feast 
of weeks.’’ It was also the annual festival 
of fully-ripe fruits, or what would now be 
termed the “harvest-home.” (Lev. xxiii. 
15 - 17 .) 

Pentecost was the day on which the Holy 
Ghost fell upon the expectant disciples at Jeru¬ 
salem, and by which was ushered in the dis¬ 
tinctive Dispensation of the Holy Ghost. 

Pentecost, according to Church nomencla¬ 
ture, is the seventh Sabbath after Lent, and 
is otherwise called Whitsuntide. It is the 
annual festival commemorative of the descent of 
the Holy Ghost. 

Pentecost, however, by many of the chosen 
people of God, is referred to decisively as the 
original day of the descent of the Holy Ghost, 
rather than as a commemoration of that event. 


169 


170 THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 

Pentecost is also spoken of, and not inappro¬ 
priately, as the demonstration of the Holy 
Ghost, not very unlike his coming at the begin¬ 
ning of his dispensation, which the believer 
receives when he is sanctified wholly; and in 
which he then and afterward is specially anointed 
and empowered for the work of God. 

1. Pentecost was the first gospel harvest- 
home. During the Passover festival the Jews, 
through their priests, presented sheaves of the 
“first-fruits ” of their harvest, as wave-offerings, 
before the Lord. Then, during the Pentecost 
festival, they in like manner presented “two 
wave-loaves,” with “ bread of the first-fruits,” 
as wave-offerings, before the Lord. (Lev. 
xxii. 1-10.) So after the disciples of 
Christ had received him as their Passover, 
and were regenerated, they themselves waved 
the first-fruits of salvation, “love, joy, peace,” 
etc., before the Lord. Then, at their first 
Pentecost, when they received full cleansing 
and the Gift of the Holy Ghost, they waved 
loaves of the full harvest of salvation, with still 
greater joy, before the Lord. (Luke xxiv. 52, 
53 ; Acts ii, 4.) And so we, having been re¬ 
generated, receive at our first Pentecost the 
full fruit of our salvation, which is waved with 
wonderful joy, before the Lord. 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


171 


2. Pentecost was the most wonderful spirit¬ 
ual demonstration which, up to that day, the 
world had ever witnessed. It is not for a 
moment to be supposed that there had been no 
remarkable manifestations before that event; 
but they were inferior to it, and in some respects 
quite unlike it. They did not present the Holy 
Ghost as a person; but this one did. The 
Pentecost of Sinai was a most marked display 
of the majesty of God; but this crowning Pen¬ 
tecost of Jerusalem, more stoutly than any 
before, enforced the claims of the Moral Law, 
and at the same time was a mighty demonstra¬ 
tion and enforcement of the glorious Gospel of 
our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Sinai represented the Law. Calvary represented 
the Gospel. But Pentecost represented both the 
Law and the Gospel , and united them together. 

At Pentecost, unlike Sinai, there were no 
words engraved into tables of stone. Yet there 
were words there ; the words of God, which, 
flowing out through burning hearts and glowing 
lips, fell like hot thunderbolts upon the ears 
and hearts of the multitude present, “ out of 
every nation under heaven.” And some of 
these words, caught up and preserved by the 
Spirit of Inspiration, have run along the ages 
like fire in stubble, to consume the sins of 


172 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


repentant and believing men. (Acts ii.; John 
xvi. 8-11; Acts xvi. 31.) 

3. Pentecost was a miracle. It was a day of 
miracles. It was the promise of miracles. It 
resulted only from the direct and supernatural 
power of God. The Gift of the Holy Ghost 
was a miracle. The sacred fire was a mira¬ 
cle. The gift of tongues was a miracle. 
The conviction of the people, that the 
Crucified Jesus was their Messiah, was a 
miracle. Conviction for their personal sins 
was a miracle. And the immediate salvation of 
three thousand of them, on that day, was a mir¬ 
acle. Pentecost was a lasting enunciation to 
the Universal Church, that the new order of 
things was to be one of wonders, both in the 
realm of nature and of grace. Indeed, it was 
an illumination of the fact—though many times 
since lost sight of, yet as many times revived— 
that the miraculous salvation from all sinning 
is to be followed by the equally miraculous 
salvation from inbred sin, with the still greater 
miracle of the Gift of the Holy Ghost. As a 
general rule, the more advanced the spirituality 
of a people, the more do we find the truly mar¬ 
velous developed among them. 

4. Pentecost was a result; albeit, a sublime 
result. It was the fulfillment of a long-standing 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


173 


prophecy. It was a culmination, and an epoch. 
It drew a fire-line between life and death, so 
clear and bright that all could see it. It at 
once lighted up the “ City of the Great King;” 
and it continues its powers of warmth and 
illumination throughout the world to the 
present time, and will do so until the hallowed 
fires of eternity begin their ceaseless burnings. 

5. Pentecost was the opening “field-day” 
of the Holy Ghost. The previously desolated 
disciples had now found the Comforter; the 
“ Spirit of Glory, and of Power, and of God” 
rested upon them. It is true, it made them the 
“sons oil;” but no less so the “sons of 
thunder.” (1 Peter iv. 14; Zech. iv. 14, 
mar.; Mark iii. 17.) The once fearful Peter 
now hurled the most unpalatable truths into the 
ears of the murderers of Jesus ; yet they were 
so awed by the Holy Ghost as to make little or 
no resistance. Had the victories of Pentecost 
been continuously followed, the world would 
long since have been regenerated, or else blotted 
out forever. 

6. Pentecost was a day of order. In fact, 
it was a marvel of order. (1 Cor. xiv. 40.) 
Sin is a disorder, a confusion, a destroyer; and 
it has worked so disastrously in the world that, 
who shall wonder ! it turned the heads of some 


174 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


of those present, so that they supposed the 
exciting scenes before them were a mere 
carousal. (Acts ii. 12-15.) God’s work is 
always purposed, planned, and orderly, though 
in form it may happen to be like the hurricane’s 
blast. The saints were in their right minds, 
and self-possessed, because Spirit-possessed; 
and the work was the rational and harmonious, 
though lightning-speeded, work of the Spirit. 

7. Pentecost as a salvation was a perpetuity. 
It was not the design of God that salvation, 
holiness, and the. Gift of the Holy Ghost, should 
be lost. The provisions of the atonement were 
ample enough to insure the essentials of the 
gospel to those devoted men and women, 
through all of their persecutions, even down to 
death. “ The Anointing which ye have received 
of him (Christ) abideth in you.” But when 
considered purely as a demonstration, the 
Pentecost of the infant Church was far from 
being a perpetuity. It was not designed to be, 
and could not be lasting. Spiritual operation is 
subject to the varied laws of the heart and 
mind, and even of the body; to the laws of 
Providence and of faith ; and all of these are 
subject to the modifications imposed upon them 
by the Holy Ghost himself. Pentecost lasted 
but a “ day but its effects last forever. 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


175 


8. A succession of Pentecosts is required, 
all along the battle-line of salvation, and all 
along the days, and years, and ages as they pass. 
This is the economy of the Third Dispensation; 
this is the special design of the Holy Ghost. It 
is a part of the business with which he has 
charged himself, to work in and through his 
people in extraordinary demonstration and 
power. The forms of demonstrations vary, 
according to the conditions of the people, and 
the wisdom of the Holy Ghost; but demonstra¬ 
tions there are and must be. To find fault with 
them is to find fault with God. It is true that 
sometimes wild-fire is kindled and put on exhi¬ 
bition by Satanic influences, operating through 
the weaknesses of men ; it is also true that some 
demonstrations pertain to the human and its 
circumstances, without the aid of sin; but it is 
also as true to-day as it was in the day of Peter 
and John, that the Holy Ghost, in his personal¬ 
ity and sovereignty, often moves strangely, 
wondrously, miraculously, upon the children of 
God. He does so to show the existence and 
presence of God, for the joy of the saints, 
and that he may reach men with conviction for 
their sins, and the blessings of a pure heart. 

9. After a Pentecost in a church, there may 
be needed some period of comparative quiet, 


176 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


for the good of the minds and bodies of the 
saints; some period of testings of the work 
already done, and of edification, and the build¬ 
ing up of believers on their most holy faith. 
But anon, there rightly comes, once more, and 
again and again, an inspiration and a faith for a 
new and glorious Pentecost. The church 
which is long without one of these marvels of 
grace and holiness, is in a comparatively low or 
backslidden condition. 

10. The believer who has never had a per¬ 
sonal Pentecost needs one. He has fallen short 
of his privileges in the Holy Ghost. But if he 
has had such a victory, he requires yet another 
and another of them, by way of manifestation 
and power; not merely for his own comfort, 
but for the progress of the work which the Holy 
Ghost has committed to his charge. We need 
often to stir up our “pure minds by way of 
remembrance,” so as to be “filled with the 
Holy Ghost,” and with power, and thus be able 
to press the battle of the Lord with greater 
energy and success. 

Let the procession of Pentecosts move on ! 
Amen. 


Chapter XXVIII. 


INSPIRATION—PROPHECY. 

HpNSPIRATION, what is it? It is knowledge 
by contact, by contact with God ; simply this 
and nothing more. But this knowledge is real 
and personal, as distinguished from that which is 
received on belief and faith only. It is knowl¬ 
edge by experience and consciousness, and not 
by the studies of reason or the testimonies of 
men. God inspires man by a manifestation to 
him of himself, of his very essence and life. 
In this way man “knows God.” And upon 
any immediate and particular subject of In¬ 
spiration, to know God is to know what he is, 
his affection, his thought, his will concerning it. 

This principle of Inspiration, that the truth 
of God is received through the touch of God, 
is fundamental in the religion of Jesus Christ. 
In substance, it contains the whole philosophy 
and fact of spiritual realization, from conviction 
for sin up to the loftiest fellowship with the 
King Eternal. There are no mere second-hand 
truths in salvation, but everything which 
belongs to it becomes a reality, and a living 
substance to the soul. 


12 


177 


178 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


Prophecy is the work of Inspiration. To tell 
the truth of God, simply to declare it, in the 
power of God, is to prophesy. It does not 
necessarily mean the foretelling of future events, 
for it may concern the past, the present, and 
things to come. It concerns all of the law and 
of the salvation of God. It concerns the fellow¬ 
ship of God and man. It concerns the whole 
realm of spiritual truth, whether of this world 
or the worlds to come. So it ever has been, 
and so it ever will be. The prophet of old was 
the “ general preacher of the day.” He was 
the “ seer,” or “ seeing person ;” and what he 
saw he declared. This was his mission, and 
here his specific function ended. “ He that 
prophesieth, speaketh unto men to edification, 
and exhortation, and comfort.” (1 Cor. 
xiv. 3.) 

1. It is the consenting voice of Holy 
Scripture, that all Inspiration is by God the 
Holy Ghost. He is the essential potency in 
it. The simple declaration of the Word of God 
is this : “ Holy men of God spake as they were 
moved by the Holy Ghost.” (2 Peter i. 21.) 
Thus it becomes an unchanging fact, that the 
spiritually minded and discerning may know, 
with at least a general accuracy, what messages 
come from God, and what from men and devils. 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 179 

Thus they are able to “honor the Holy Ghost.” 
John says: “ Try the spirits, whether they are 
of God.” (1 John iv. 1.) 

2. The term, “ Word of the Lord,” is very 
often used in the Old Testament in describing 
the Inspiration of the prophets. We find this 
so in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Micah, 
Zephaniah, Zechariah, and Malachi. Under it, 
doubtless, is couched the blessed Holy Ghost. 
It is one method of declaring to us of the present 
day, what could not so readily have been un¬ 
derstood by the ancients as it may be by us, 
the great fact of the personality of that Strange 
Visitant from heaven, who gave to the prophets 
their visions and messages of truth. Most 
generally the form of record is, simply: 
“The Word of the Lord came unto me,” etc. 
But sometimes the personality of the “ Word ” 
is brought into more open relief by this form 
of record : “ By the Word of the Lord.” CJer. 
xxiv. 4 ; Ezek. vi. 1 ; 1 King xiii. 1.) 

3. It appears that immediate and complete 
attention to God and his Spirit has always been 
of vital importance in Inspiration. Therefore 
we read of dreams, and visions, and minstrelsy, 
as serving the purpose of shutting out the world 
and outside influences. (Gen. xxxvii. 5; Dan. 
vii. 1 ; 2 Kings iii. 15.) At times, of old, the 


180 THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 

Lord spoke to the prophets directly by a voice. 
But at other times, the “ burden of the Lord ” 
came upon them. And when John received 
the wonderful visions of the Apocalypse, he 
was “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day.” (1 
Sam. iii. 4-10; Jer. xxiii. 33; Rev. i. 10.) 
These expressions are no doubt similar in their 
general direction. They indicate the Divine 
touchings and power. 

4. The Bible is the great depository of 
spiritual truth. We find in it the very “ words 
of eternal life.” It is an inspired Book. The 
prophets and apostles were so inspired that 
their writings, when rightly collated and under¬ 
stood, give us nothing but sound doctrine. 
Vivid and unmistakable impressions of the 
truth were made upon the minds of those 
worthy men by the Holy Ghost. Sometimes, 
on occasions of lasting moment, the exact form 
and words of the message were given ; but on 
other occasions, though the thought was always 
from God, the setting was more or less colored 
by the state and community of the prophet. 

5. There was always power in those 
prophetic utterances, and sometimes much of it. 
Thus, when upon Jahaziel “came the Spirit 
of the Lord,” and he prophesied, there came 
also upon the multitude the very thing which 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


181 


at the present day we call a “ great blessing.” 
There was such a spiritual demonstration, such 
an atmosphere of God, that the people were 
convinced, and “believed,” and were “es¬ 
tablished ;” and consequently the conglomerate 
army of which they had been in great dread, 
was smitten before the people of God. (2 
Chron. xx. 14-25; Micah iii. 8.) It was in 
those days as it is now; and it is now as it was 
then. When God’s little ones prophesy in the 
Holy Ghost, then men feel as well as hear the 
messages of God. They are amply persuaded 
of the truths of salvation. 

6. The New Testament was written by men 
who had entered the Third Dispensation. “ It 
is to be remarked,” says Joseph Parker, “that 
Jesus never wrote anything, nor did he instruct 
his disciples to commit anything to writing. We 
come to no sign or permanence until we receive 
the promise of the Holy Ghost. He was to 
quicken their recollection, as well as disclose 
further aspects of the truth. The memory was 
not to be left unaided; a great light was to be 
held over all the way which the disciples had 
walked, so that they might see the minutest 
details, and tell or write their story with all the 
clearness and certitude of personal observa¬ 
tion.” (Ecce Deus.') 


182 THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 

7. Pentecost was an inspired occasion. Its 

prophecy and fulfillment was this : “I will pour 
out of my Spirit upon all flesh ; and your sons 
and your daughters shall prophesy,” etc. (Acts 
ii. 16-18 ; Joel ii. 28, 29.) “ The main fact 

which Joel foresaw,” says Charles Edward 
Smith, “ in connection with this outpouring, 
was the increase of the number of the prophets ; 
that is, the men and women who stood so near 
God, in a peculiar intimacy, that they were the 
oracles of the Divine Wisdom, and the ac¬ 
knowledged spokesmen of the Most High.” 
(Baptism in Fire.) “ It was one of the exalted 
marks of the Messiah’s kingdom,” says Dean 
Stanley, “ that the prophetic Inspiration should 
become universal. This expectation Peter saw 
realized on the day of Pentecost; and from his 
allusions, it is evident that the possession of 
the gift, throughout the Christian community, 
was the rule, and not the exception. Some 
there were, more eminent than others, whose 
names, sayings, and writings, have been pre¬ 
served to us.” {Hist. Jewish Church .) 

8, Inspiration is a reality in the Church of 
Christ to-day., Indeed, all men at times, are 
moved of God or demons, though they may not 
certainly be aware of it. All of the principles 
of God’s government and grace are already 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


183 


revealed; but they are daily kept alive, and 
revived or re-inspired, and enforced by the Holy 
Ghost. Bo we need no new Bible, and shall 
have no additions to the old one. But outside 
of the pure realm of principles, there are many 
facts and directions concerning our lives, which 
require special revelation or elucidation; as 
truly as Gideon required them at the time of his 
saving Israel from the mighty host of the Mid- 
ianites by his fearless three hundred. (Judges 
vi., viii.) 

9. While the messages of the standard 
prophets of old, when free from the mistakes of 
transcribers and others and rightly understood, 
are free from all errors of fact and truth, the 
same cannot be said absolutely of the discourses 
of the faithful ministers of our Lord to-day. 
Any one of these ministers, from ignorance or 
other cause, is doubtless at a few minor points 
of belief, out of harmony with the truth of God. 
Hence, as he speaks for God, his private opin¬ 
ions may sometimes unwittingly be interjected 
into the truth. Yet he has messages from God 
^—real ones—and declares them ; and as such, 
they are without error of fact or doctrine. They 
reach a portion or all of those who hear them. 
They bring light, instruction, and conviction 
to the soul. (Ezek. ii. 5.) 


184 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


10. Inspiration, when properly guarded, is 

so desirable, that those who belong to the real 
Body of Christ are admonished to “ covet to 
prophesy.” (1 Cor. xiv. 39.) “ Paul put the 

gift of prophesy above all other gifts mentioned 
in the twelfth and fourteenth chapters of First 
Corinthians. It is distinct from the grace of 
love, and is to be sought by those who are made 
perfect in love. ‘ Follow after love, and desire 
spiritual gifts ; but rather that ye might proph¬ 
esy.’ ” (J. Munsinger.') 

11. No doubt, there is a specific call of the 
Holy Ghost to the specific spiritual office and 
ministry. All of the apostles were thus called; 
and so are all of the true ministers of the gospel 
of the present day. This is the true apostolic 
succession—not by a chain of churchly ordi¬ 
nations, but by the Holy Ghost. (1 Sam. iii. 4; 
1 Cor. xii. 28; 2 Peter i. 21.) Every one who 
appears to be called, should duly weigh the evi¬ 
dences on which his impressions are based, so 
as not to go out unsent of God. But after a 
real.call is received; there is neither credit nor 
sense in waiting to be whipped into obedience 
to it. Paul, in referring to his own case, very 
tersely declares : “I was not disobedient unto 
the heavenly vision.” (Acts xxvi. 19.) And 
so should it be in every case to-day. 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


185 


12. But are women called of God, and 
inspired of the Holy Ghost to preach the gos¬ 
pel ? No doubt they are, as truly as their 
brethren. Our Magna Charta , Holy Scripture, 
declares; “ The Lord giveth the Word; the 
women that publish the tidings are a great 
host.” And Joel says, in the same Book : 
“ Your sons and your daughters shall proph¬ 
esy.”. The apostle Peter, by quoting from the 
prophet Joel, gives us explicitly to understand, 
that the women disciples actually prophesied on 
the day of Pentecost. And it became a custom 
in the New Testament day, certainly made so 
by direction of the Holy Ghost, for the women 
of the Church to appear in public, and there to 
exercise themselves in the prophetic office. 
Luke says of Philip, the evangelist, and his 
daughters: “The same man had four daughters, 
virgins, which did prophesy.” (Psa lxviii. 11; 
P. V. ; Joel ii. 28 ; Acts ii. 4, 16, 17 ; xxi. 9 ; 
1 Cor. xi. 5.) An humble woman, who in her 
day was greatly owned of God in preaching his 
gospel, spoke thus of the Church : “ A potter’s 
field, where the gifts of women are buried ! And 
how serious will be the responsibility of that 
Church, whrch does not hasten to roll away the 
stone, and bring out those long-buried gifts!” 
(.Phoebe Palmer.') 


186 THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 

13. There have been marked cases of Inspi¬ 
ration—why not call them such ?—in modern 
times. Let us briefly consider a few of them. 

James Caughey, the revivalist, was a Method¬ 
ist preacher in the State of New York. Being - 
single, he contemplated marriage; but in so 
doing a strange darkness came over him. This 
so much distressed him, that the desire for the 
light of God became greater, as he expressed it, 
“ than to obtain any temporal blessing what¬ 
ever.” He therefore sought for the necessary 
Divine aid, until at last he believed it to be 
near. He says : “This was on the ninth of 
July, 1839. The same evening, eternal glory be 
to God ! while reading in a small room adjoining 
my study, a light, as I conceived from heaven,, 
reached me. My soul was singularly calmed 
and warned by a strange visitation. In a 
moment I recognized the change. The follow¬ 
ing, in substance, was spoken to my heart; but 
in a manner and with a rapidity which I cannot 
possibly describe. Every ray of Divine glory 
seemed to be a word that the eye of my soul 
could read, a sentence which my judgment could 
perceive and understand. i The matters which 
trouble thee must be let entirely alone. The 
will of God is, that thou shouldst visit Europe. 
He shall be with thee, and give thee many souls 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


187 


to thy ministry. He shall provide thee with 
funds. Make thy arrangements accordingly; 
and next conference, ask liberty from the prop¬ 
er authorities, and it shall be granted thee. 
Visit Canada first; when this is done, sail for 
England. God shall be with thee there, and 
thou shalt have no want in all thy journeyings; 
and thou shalt be brought back in safety 
to America.’ The above is far beneath the dig¬ 
nity and grandeur of the impression,” etc. (i I 
fell upon my knees before the Lord,” continues 
Mr. Caughey, “ my whole mind consenting to 
the orders, which I believed had come from 
heaven.” (.Earnest Christianity.') The result 
was, that, following the light so strangely given, 
Mr. Caughey went to Europe, and was absent 
some seven years. Everything answered to the 
terms of the revelation. During this time, 
i( nearly twenty-two thousand persons professed 
conversion, under his labors, and nearly ten 
thousand entered into the rest of full 
salvation.” 

Another case is that of the late Charles G. 
Finney. It occurred during his early ministry, 
in the State of New York. He says: “ While I 
was at Brownville, God revealed to me, all at 
once, in a most unexpected manner, the fact 
that he was going to pour out his Spirit at 


188 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


Gouverneur, and that I must go there and 
preach. Of the place I absolutely knew noth¬ 
ing, except that in that town, there was so much 
opposition manifested to the revival in Antwerp, 
the year before. I can never tell how, or why, 
the Spirit of God made that revelation to me. 
But I knew then, and I have no doubt now, 
that it was a direct revelation from God to me. 
I had not thought of the place, that I know of, 
for months ; but in prayer the thing was all 
shown to me, as clear as light, that I must go 
and preach at Gouverneur, and that God would 
pour out his Spirit there. {Autobiography .) 
And the event fully corresponded with the 
revelation. 


Chapter XXIX. 


SPIRITUAL LEADING AND TEACHING. 

MONG the authoritative utterances of 
^ Revelation on the subject of Spiritual 
Leading, are the following : “As many as are 
led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of 
God.” “ But the Comforter, which is the Holy 
Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, 
he shall teach you all things.” (Rom. viii. 14 ; 
John xiv. 26.) The first quotation concerns 
all of the children of God. The last concerns 
the sanctified only. Let no one attempt to 
gainsay these profound yet experimental truths 
of God. 

1. The Holy Ghost has several methods of 
leading the saved. One of these is by speech, 
not made mediately but immediately to the 
soul. We read : “ The Spirit said unto Philip, 
go near, and join thyself to this chariot.” 
And again : “ The Holy Ghost said, Separate 
me Barnabas and Saul,” etc. (Acts viii. 29 ; 
xiii. 2.) This is all very plain. It proves the 
speech of the Spirit, not as a theory, but as an 
established fact. This speech is both direct 
and distinct, so that those who are addressed may 


189 


190 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


hear and understand. The Holy Spirit is also 
present in his own Word, and speaks through it. 

2. Another method of the Leading of the 
Holy Ghost is by touch, or impression ; the 
impression is simply the pressure of God upon 
the soul. He thereby infuses his mind into 
that of the believer. Every thoroughly saved 
person has felt this mysterious contact, which 
gives light and truth, and with them, warmth 
and power. (It will be observed that the 
principle of inspiration, previously given in 
this book, and that of holy Leading, is sub¬ 
stantially the same.) 

3. As a special Leading by impression, 
mention should be made of that strong pressure 
of the Holy Ghost upon some of the children 
of God, by which he has been known to move 
the whole being forward in the way of God. 
This is not done contrary to the human will, 
but at least tacitly in agreement with it. He 
lays hold of the whole responsible and impulsive 
nature, agreeably to the laws by which it is 
usually governed. Ezekiel says: “The Spirit 
lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate 
of the Lord’s house.” It is said of Philip: 
“ The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, 
that the eunuch saw him no more.” (Ezek. 
xi. 1 ; Acts viii. 39.) Admitted, that these 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


191 


•examples are extreme ones ; yet many of the 
saved have sometimes felt a large measure of 
the same compulsory power of the Holy Ghost. 
And such instances, it cannot be doubted, would 
be amazingly multiplied, if there were much 
more close living with God, and confiding 
obedience, with momentary waiting upon him. 

4. In a popular way of speaking, the best 
of men “make mistakes but this language is 
somewhat misleading. There is no place in 
the Book of God where the children of God are 
expected to really blunder. They all have 
encompassing infirmities, which sometimes press 
sorely upon them ; yet, counting these for all 
there is legitimately in them, each one is ex¬ 
pected to know the will of God, and to do it. 
{Col. i. 9.) The most, in this respect, which 
there should be occasion to say of a child of 
God, at any time, is this : He would have done 
better, had he had more knowledge and greater 
power, or both together; but with his immediate 
light and ability, such as they were, he did not 
do poorly, but well; so perfectly well as to 
meet most thoroughly the approbation of God. 
Such is wisdom. (James i. 5.) Having really 
done the best he can, let no one write bitter 
things against his own soul. Escape from 
Satan, and trust God. 


192 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


\ 


5. If all of the children of God were humble, 
careful, and well instructed, and withal intense¬ 
ly spiritual, then our worship-gatherings would 
require less supervision, and sometimes none at 
all. The Spirit would usually be able to direct 
the various exercises, through the individual 
disciples, porportionally more than through the 
appointed leaders; and to always make the 
most of them. But in general, the Spirit does 
not have quite full sway, as there is too much 
of programme and human grasp. While a little 
control may be necessary, lest ignorance and 
carnality should seize the reins, and also to 
focalize the work immediately in hand, yet the 
responsible leaders are under the most sacred 
obligation to know no man after the flesh, and 
to give those few directions which may be 
required, as unto the Lord alone, and in the 
Spirit of the Lord alone. (2 Cor. v. 16.) 

6. Many object to the doctrine of immediate 
communication and Leading from the Holy 
Ghost. But be it understood, they thereby 
object to the whole doctrine and superstructure 
of spiritual knowledge and fellowship. As we 
lay hold of God, and know him, so, in sub¬ 
stance, do we lay hold of the mind or will of 
God ; which is simply a portion or movement 
of God. But hear the objector’s formal 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


193 


arraignment. He says : “ To be swayed by 
impressions that come into our minds, is fanati¬ 
cism. The Spirit does not lead by setting aside 
the mind’s faculties, but by using them rightly. 
The means of judgment are given in the 
Scriptures, and they are to be carefully and 
impartially considered.” 

But hear also the other side of the case : 
il Does the Holy Ghost decide the soul, person¬ 
ally and directly? I do not hesitate to say, 
that such guidance is necessary, no matter how 
complete a knowledge we may have of the 
Scriptures. The Bible is very complete and 
explicit upon the matter of gifts and calls to 
the ministry; and yet, all the Bibles in the 
world would never have satisfied me that / was 
called to the ministry. The occurrence of 
fanaticism is not so much a demonstration that 
there is no such thing as a genuine Guidance, as 
it is an evidence that there is a valuable some¬ 
thing in that line which Satan is busy in 
counterfeiting.” 

The doctrine of direct Divine Guidance does 
not “ set aside the mind’s faculties.” It does, 
however, fix their place. Sometimes, it is true, 
the Spirit gives a kind of surprisal of light, in 
which, until the moment, the mind is not 
engaged ; but this is far from invariably the 


13 


194 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


case. In general, we may enumerate three ways 
in which the mental faculties are brought into 
use in the demonstration of duty. One of them 
is, study and examination, which prepare the way 
for the Spirit’s communications. And the next 
is, listening to these communications. And the 
last is, the scrutiny that determines them to 
be certainly from God. (1 John iv. 1.) All 
of these operations may be very slow or very 
rapid; but so far as the mind is concerned, they 
are the end of the matter. 

7. There is nothing in the doctrine of 
spiritual Leading to prevent a knowledge of 
the will of God from coming to us, in part, 
through human instrumentalities. “ Teach¬ 
ers ” comprise a class of human workers, yet by 
Divine appointment. (Eph. iv. 11.) Never¬ 
theless, the Holy Ghost is the only substantial 
Teacher. (1 John ii. 27.) 

8. The author’s former work, “Lessons in 
Holiness,” says : “ There are several ways by 
which God reaches and leads his chosen ones. 
They are four in number : Reason, Providence, 
the Written Word, and the Holy Spirit. One, 
or two, or three, or all four of these, may be 
employed in the same instance of leading. 
The Holy Spirit, being personal, and as such 
reaching the heart and consciousness of men as 


OF THE HOLY GHOST 


195 


persons, is a direct agent in reaching them. 
Reason, Providence, and the Written Word are 
indirect Divine agencies ; for, though of Divine 
origin, neither of them is itself Divine.” In 
giving some “ Cautionary Considerations ” on 
the subject, the same work lays down the 
following seed-thoughts: “ Keep clear in the 
experience of holiness.” ‘‘ Lean not to your 
own understanding.” “ Take all advices and 
opinions to the Lord.” ** Lay aside prejudice, 
and be not blindly bound up in your own 
schemes.” “ Many impressions are purely 
physical.” “A ‘blessing’ is not necessarily a 
leading of the Spirit.” “ ‘The Holy Spirit 
never can go against the universal intuitions of 
right.’ ” “ Voices and impressions must be 

carried to the Lord.” 

9. Thomas C. Upham makes many valuable 
observations on Spiritual Guidance, from which, 
either in form or substance, the following 
quotations are made : “ We cannot reasonably 
expect to be guided by the Spirit, unless the 
desire for it be permanent and strong.” “ We 
must have faith in God, that he will do for us 
the very thing which we ask.” “ We must 
cease from our own natural activity, and from 
a secret determination and hope to guide 
ourselves.” “It is necessary to be in a state 


196 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


of passivity; that is, of strict impartiality 
before God.”' “The Holy Spirit generally 
conforms himself to the structure and laws of 
the human mind.” “Ordinarily, the first 
operation will be upon the intellect, in dis¬ 
tinction from the sensibilities and the will.” 
“ He imparts an increased clearness to the 
intellectual or cognitive part of the mind. ” “It 
is only the inward ear, and not the bodily ear, 
which is spoken to.” Sometimes, “ the in¬ 
spiration is to some extent latent in the mind, 
and is not susceptible of being distinctly analyzed 
and heard, in its responses to the spiritual ear, 
until it receives its interpretation from the 
outward application of providential events.” 
“It is important not to give way to uneasy, 
agitated, and excited feelings.” “ Great im¬ 
portance is attached to a state of inward 
recollection.” “ One who lives in this state, 
will not be subject to internal dissipation.” 
“ The doctrine is totally, opposed to the in¬ 
dulgence of an inactive and sluggish spirit.” 
“ Purely instinctive actions have no moral 
character.” “ One class of inward utterances 
appears to be impressions or suggestions, which 
are suddenly but distinctly originated in the 
mind, apparently from some cause independent 
of itself. Sometimes they bring to the mind 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


197 


particular passages of Scripture. Sometimes the 
suggestion consists in the origination of new 
ideas, or truths in new form, which are remark¬ 
able in their origin or application.” “ It is 
probably a well-founded opinion, that sudden 
suggestions sometimes have a Satanic origin;” 
and “it is hardly reasonable to suppose, that 
God would forbid himself a method of operation 
on the human mind which he allows to Satan.” 
“ We may reasonably conclude, therefore, that 
the Holy Spirit sometimes adopts this method 
of operation.” “ But God does not require us 
to act upon these sudden suggestions, even if 
they come from himself, without our first sub¬ 
jecting them to the scrutiny of reason.” “The 
Holy Spirit, either by his gentle or more 
powerful influence, will never guide a person 
into any course which is truly irrational and 
absurd.” “Providence is not an accidental 
thing, but has reference to the Divine will and 
choice.” “We should never yield to any 
guidance, however it may have the appearance 
of originating with the Holy Spirit, which 
we know to be at variance with the Written 


Word.” 


Chapter XXX. 


THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT. 

W HE “ Gift of the Holy Ghost ” is one 
thing; but the “Gifts of the Holy 
Ghost” are many, and very different things. 
The Gift is the Holy Ghost himself; he is the 
Giver of the Gifts. They belong to him, to his 
love, to his administration, to his power. He 
is the personal Blesser, and they are the bless¬ 
ings. All believers are entitled to the consum¬ 
mate Gift; but he bestows his Gifts, in his 
infinite wisdom, as he wills. “ All these,” says 
Paul, referring to these Gifts, “ worketh that 
one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every 
man severally as he wills.” (1 Cor. xii. 11.) 

1. The Gifts of the Spirit are certain specific 
powers or offices , bestowed by him in his sovereign 
capacity , on individual believers , to enable them 
to perform spiritual functions , of a certain and 
specific kind. (Rom. xii. 6-8 ; 1 Cor. xii., xiv.) 

No really saved person, be he regenerate 
only or entirely sanctified, is without some 
Gift, or some measure of some Gift, received 
from the Ploly Ghost. And it is the rule, 
having few exceptions, that a believer has 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 199 

more than one of these Gifts, though not all 
of them are equally prominent. 

2. What is sometimes called the “grace of 
the Spirit,” is the salvation and life that is 
wrought in the soul of him who believes in 
Jesus. (John iii. 5.) But this is a far different 
thing from the “ Gifts of the Spirit,” now 
under consideration. And what are sometimes 
called the “fruits” or “graces of the Spirit,” 
are the affections which flow out of the spiritual 
life; or they are forms of that life. (Gal. v. 
22, 23.) These, too, are far different from the 
“ Gifts of the Spirit,” now under consideration. 
While our “graces” are spiritual states or 
affections, our “Gifts” are spiritual powers 
or offices. 

3. A believer may possess a Gift of the 
Spirit, a call of God, without its constant 
operation. A prophet was not always engaged 
in the prophetic function ; nor is a preacher 
always engaged in his sacred calling. 

4. The doctrine of “ Gifts ” proceeds upon 
the principle that every believer has a particular 
place and work in this world, assigned to him 
of God. Thus, Moses was called to be the 
leader of Israel, and Paul was “separated unto 
the gospel of God.” (Exod. iii. 10; Rom. i. 1.) 
“The Gifts and callings of God are without 


200 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


repentance.” (Rom. xi. 29.) That is to say, 
they are not for a day, but for life ; or at least 
until the work assigned is accomplished. 
Providences are transitory obstacles only to the 
operation of a Gift from God; while the Gift 
itself is fundamental and permanent. 

5. The Gifts of the Spirit are strictly 
supernatural. There is no doubt that he takes 
advantage of the natural and providential 
adaptations of those whom he calls ; but this 
fact is only incidental to the case. The Gifts 
of the Spirit are for the exercise of spiritual 
functions alone. He makes other calls—impera¬ 
tive ones—which are purely natural; but they 
are not included in the Biblical list of the Gifts 
of the Spirit. Some are called to a particular 
spiritual work who are as yet unfit for it; but 
there is full provision for all of the exigencies 
of the case, and all can be obtained, by faith. 

6. The New Testament names the several 
Gifts of the Spirit. They are as follows: 

( a .) The General Ministry. The Scriptures 
call it the “Ministration of the Spirit;” and 
its incumbents are variously named, “ Minis¬ 
ters of God,” “ Ministers of Christ,” and 
“ Ministers of the New Testament.” (2 Cor. 
iii. 8 ; 1 Thess. iii. 2 ; 1 Cor. iv. 1; 2 Cor. iii. 
6.) The general ministry attends on the general 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


201 


administration of spiritual things. It includes 
various specific Gifts ; yet its most prominent 
feature, doubtless, is that of prophecy, or 
preaching. (Mark xvi. 15 ; 2 Tim. iv. 2.) 

( b .) “ Governments .” (1 Cor. xii. 28.) Un¬ 

der this term, there seem to be included : First, 
Apostles, or general leaders. (Eph. iv. 11 ; 
Matt. x. 1-8.) Secondly, Evangelists, or sub¬ 
general leaders. (Eph. iv. 11 ; 2 Tim. iv. 5.) 
Thirdly, Pastors, or general leaders of local 
churches. (Eph. iv. 11.) Fourthly, Elders, or 
Presbyters ; leaders in local churches, sometimes 
several of them in one church. An Elder pos¬ 
sessed all of' the general functions of the 
ministry. (Acts xx. 17; xiv. 23 ; Titus i. 5.) 
Fifthly, Bishops; whose New Testament status 
is still somewhat a matter of controversy. They 
appear to have been Elders, with an oversight 
enlarged beyond their own local churches ; yet 
more limited in this respect than Evangelists. 
Sixthly, Deacons ; although the question is 
Taised whether their office is purely a temporal 
one, or temporal and spiritual combined. (1 Tim. 
iii. 8 ; Acts vi. 3-6.) Seventhly, Helps. (1 Cor. 
xii. 28.) “ Helps ” are evidently workers under 
the call and direction of the Evangelists and 
Pastors; the leaders of prayer-services, and 
other ordinary means of grace. They are not 


202 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


the general leaders of holiness campaigns ; yet 
public laborers. They are lieutenants of grace. 

(*r.) “Prophecy." (1 Cor. xii. 10.) Proph¬ 
ecy is the principal spiritual Gift and office. It 
is that of the Word of God , by the word of man , 
to the children of men. The apostles, evangel¬ 
ists, pastors, and elders, all appear to have 
possessed the Gift of Prophecy. Without it, 
to-day, none of them ought to have any place 
among us. Under this head are rightly placed: 
First, Prophets. (1 Cor. xii. 28; xiv. 29.) The 
prophets, in the New Testament day, appear 
sometimes to have foretold events ; but they 
were like the preachers of the present day. 
Their business was to “Preach the Word.” 
(1 Cor. xiii. 2; 2 Tim. iv. 2; Rev. xix. 10.) 
They not only unfolded the truth, but were its 
advocates and enforcers; they were exhorters. 
(1 Cor. xiv. 3.) Secondly, Teachers. (Acts xiii. 
1; 1 Cor. xii. 28, 29 ; Eph. iv. 11.) The 
New Testament teachers were doubtless apt at 
explaining the Scriptures, and the doctrines of 
Christ. So they are to-day. To teach is, 
specifically, to instruct; to preach is, specifically, 
to proclaim. 

(d.) “Miracles." (1 Cor. xii. 28.) This 
general term indicates several particular Gifts. 
The first is that of “ Faith ; ” probably a special 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


203 


power to discern the will of God in emergencies. 
It is necessary in all miracles, as well as in 
many other things. (1 Cor. xii. 9.) The second 
is that of “Tongues;” or the speaking and 
interpretation of unknown tongues. (Acts ii. 
6-11 ; 1 Cor. xii. 10; xiv. 13-19.) This Gift 
is unknown at the present day. The third is 
that of “ Healing.” (1 Cor. xii. 9.) It is true 
that any of the elders may effectually “pray 
over” the sick. (James v. 13-15.) Yet it is 
plain that there are those who possess the special 
Gift of Faith for the healing of the sick. 

7. The Gifts of the Spirit are under the 
control of the Spirit. He personally superin¬ 
tends them. They are operative and effective 
only when he makes them so. Thus the sover¬ 
eignty of the Blessed Spirit is preserved, while 
the active agency of the possessor of the Gift is 
acknowledged. Those who preach without the 
consent of the Spirit, always find themselves 
beating the air. Many run before they are 
called. Paul possessed the general Gift of the 
Ministry ; yet it was kept under the direction of 
the Holy Ghost. (Acts xiii. 2, 4 ; xvi. 6-10.) 

8. The desirability of the Gifts of the Spirit 
is easily discovered. The disciples were ex¬ 
horted by Paul to “covet earnestly the best 
Gifts; ” and the best of them all he decided to 


204 THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 

be that of prophecy. (1 Cor. xii. 31 ; xiv. 1.) 
Yet he wedged into his discourse on the subject 
of the Gifts, a special one on love; love being 
better and of more consequence than all of the 
Gifts of the Spirit combined, inasmuch as it is 
the object and end of them all. (1 Cor. xiii.) 

9. The apostle discovered that the Gifts of 
the Spirit, by indiscrimination, had caused con¬ 
fusion in the assemblies of the Corinthians. He 
lays down the rule, therefore, that, although 
these sacred functions are subject to the Divine 
control, they are also, but in a lesser sense, sub¬ 
ject to rational human control; and he demands 
such control, in the interest of decency and 
order. (See 1 Cor. xiv. 49, with the whole 
chapter.) The Authorized Version renders 
verse 32 of this chapter as follows : “ The spirits 
of the prophets are subject to the prophets.’* 
But to agree with the scope and translation of 
verse 12, this should read: “ The Spiritual 
Gifts of the prophets are subject to the proph¬ 
ets.” Wilson renders it : “ The Spiritual 

Gifts of the prophets are subject to prophets.” 
(Emphatic Diaglot .) And this is right. It is 
so, simply because the subject under discussion 
by the inspired writer was not the spirits of the 
prophets, but “Spiritual Gifts.” But further: 
The reference was not so much to the control 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


205 


which others should have over their Gifts, as it 
was to that which each one should exercise over 
his own. (See verse 30.) 

Now, what is the substance of Paul’s direc¬ 
tions ? It is as follows: The Gifts of the 
Spirit, especially those of prophecy and tongues, 
were to be so exercised as to permit of the infor¬ 
mation and edification of others. Therefore, it 
was always to be done by one person only at a 
time. There was to be no disorderly , disputa¬ 
tious or trivial interruption. Yet the saying of 
“Amen,” a?id the giving of other simple exclama¬ 
tions of approval , were proper. (See verse 16.) 
But if any one present received from the Spirit a 
new revelationy one of immediate importance to 
the assembly , then the first speaker was to pause, 
and let him deliver it. (See verse 30.) “Let 

all things be done decently, an t in order. ’ ’ (Verse 
40.) And this rule of the apostle stands 
unrepealed, and for us all, to-day. Take 
notice : when Peter was preaching on the day 
of Pentecost, the other disciples, though so 
wonderfully wrought upon, were so quiet that 
the people could hear what he said. 

10. In the same chapter with the above rules, 
occurs that famous one of Paul, enjoining the 
Corinthian sisterhood to “keep silence in the 
Churches,” or assemblies. (1 Cor. xiv. 34-36. 


206 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


See also 1 Tim. ii. 11, 12.) What does this 
mean? There is no doubt that the Corinthians 
understood it; but can we do so? 

(a.) In the first place, consider, that some 
of the women enjoined had been saved from an 
infamous idolatry. They were therefore more 
seriously tempted to breach of propriety than 
the most of us, or even their own brethren. 

(3.) In the next place, consider, that the 
rule of silence made by the apostle did not in 
the least prohibit those Corinthian women from 
the general exercise of their Spiritual Gifts in 
the open congregations. This is amply proved 
by the fact, that, in the same epistle in which 
it is found, the exercise of the Gift of Prophecy, 
or preaching and testimony, is permitted to 
them, and is regulated. “Every woman that 
prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered, 
dishonoreth her head,” etc. (1 Cor. xi. 5-10.) 
Thus at once is broken the whole force of the 
interpretation which is sometimes put upon the 
rule, that the women be only silent partners in 
public worship. They were such only in the 
Jewish synagogue; but Christian women might 
prophesy when and where they would. 

(c.) In the next place, consider, that the 
text which gives the command to keep silence, 
is bounded on both sides, and very amply so, 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


207 


not by matter which rules out or destroys 
Spiritual Gifts, but which clearly regulates their 
use. The subject contemplated is not destruction , 
but regulation , expressly so. 

(d.) Hence the rule, “Let your women keep 
silence in the Churches,” did not and could 
not enjoin the general and universal silence of 
the Corinthian women in their assemblies for 
worship. Nor does it nor can it enjoin saved 
women, in the present or any other age, from 
exercising their Spiritual Gifts in public. It 
did not prevent, nor does it prevent, women 
from saying “Amen,” or using other ordinary 
and commendatory ejaculations. But, taking as 
its basis the general rule for the regulation of 
Gifts—as already considered—this rule of 
silence proceeds to explain and emphasize it 
for the benefit of the class of women intended. 
But it naturally includes all women everywhere, 
who may be tempted as they were to any 
unseemliness in worship. Men can sometimes 
speak when women cannot ; therefore, in this 
respect, women are to be careful to act as 
becomes modest womanhood. They are to do 
nothing querulous , nothing disputatious , nothing 
indecorous. They are not to oppose their brethren 
and sisters who are in the exercise of spiritual 
Gifts. Especially , if they wish to ask questions, 


208 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


this is to be done at home , or in private gatherings- 
(See verse 35.) And this is all there seems to 
be in it. 

11. The inquiry may be made as to the 
continuance of the Gifts of the Spirit, indefi¬ 
nitely. It is certain that nothing is particularly 
revealed to us on this subject. But it is equally 
certain that the presumption lies in favor of 
the continuance of the most of them. Of 
course, this means under such limitations as 
the changed conditions of the Church in any age 
may require. At present, the Gift of tongues 
is entirely lost. But the apostleship, in a 
modified sense, is still possible. There was a 
comparatively modern instance of it in the case 
of the pious and noted Patrick, of Ireland. A 
recent case is that of William Taylor, of Africa ; 
and other leaders of great missionary enterprises 
could be mentioned, as apostles to the heathen, 
world. 


Chapter XXXI. 


“ PRAYING IN THE HOLY GHOST.” 

3J"UDE, the “ servant of Jesus Christ,” writing 
^ to those who were "‘sanctified by God the 
Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ,” declared 
that one part of their occupation was, “Praying 
in the Holy Ghost.” Paul also says: “The 
Spirit also helpeth our infirmities ; for we know 
not what to pray for as we ought; but the Spirit 
himself maketh intercession for us, with groan- 
ings which cannot be uttered. And he that 
searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind 
of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession 
for the saints, according to the will of God.” 
(Jude 20; Rom. viii. 26-27.) 

1. Prayer is a gift of the Holy Ghost. In 
fact, there is no real praying but that which is 
in the Holy Ghost. The common failure in 
prayer is, that it is such only in form, because 
it is not Heaven-inspired, nor uttered in the 
Heavenly Spirit. Prayer which comes from 
God, is the only kind which reaches God. 
“ Uncle Daniel,” it is said, “ had been reading 
about some remarkable answers to prayer, and 
observed to Aunt Hetty, his wife, that it seemed 


14 


210 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


like getting back to the old apostolic days; when 
Aunt Hetty slowly replied: ‘Yes; but I was 
thinking, after all, it wasn’t the answers that 
were remarkable so much as the prayers.’ ” 

2. Inbred sin is wont to get in the way of 
successful praying. They who ask, but receive 
not, because they ask for lust-consuming trifles, 
never ask “in the Holy Ghost.” One may 
believe that he knows what to ask for, while he 
is really in the dark about it, simply because 
there'is some hidden selfishness in him. To get 
the full blood of cleansing is a wonderful aid to 
successful praying. 

3. The reception of the distinctive “Gift of 
the Holy Ghost” is a foundation for the best 
and most far-reaching understanding of God. 
We must “ walk in the Spirit,” if we would pray 
in the Spirit. 

4. Even an unselfish desire may not be from 
God; therefore it is an impossibility to get any 
faith into a prayer which is founded on such a de¬ 
sire merely. Happy is that man who lives so fa r 
in God, and in the “ deep things of God,” as to 
readily turn over to him all of his desires, how¬ 
ever good and courageous they may to himself 
appear. In this way, with the Holy Ghost as 
his teacher, he learns to “pray as he ought.” 
(See 1 Cor. ii. 10-12.) Heie prayer is a delight, 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


211 


because the very act is a success. In audience 
with God, he tells God his Spirit-inspired wants, 
and also feasts on Christ himself. 

5. If we are to pray “ in the Holy Ghost,” 
we must take time for it; and especially for 
private devotions. Business and rest, to say 
nothing of pleasures, must be so far as possible 
arranged, as to allow of all needed space for 
prayer. Even among the spiritual, it must be 
acknowledged that there is sometimes an amaz¬ 
ing deficiency at this point. May all pure 
minds be stirred up by way of remembrance; 
for it is written : “Ask, and ye shall receive, 
that your joy may be full; ” and again : “Ye 
have not, because ye ask not.” (John xvi. 24; 
James iv. 2.) 

In case of hindering dissipation of thought, 
it is important to persevere, and to fasten the 
mind on God. Many blessings are missed from 
lack of persistence. Persistence of will is a 
means of reaching God, and persistence of faith 
brings home the blessings required. 

6. Fasting is one means of success in prayer. 
It saves the vitality for the effort of prayer. It 
is most certainly not vicarious, and neither is it 
meritorious in itself; but it is self-denial in 
motion, in order that God may have his oppor¬ 
tunity of moving upon us ; and it is therefore 


212 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


so far pleasing to God. It often proves to be 
eminently successful as a means of grace. 

7. Some teach that we are always to “seek 
God.” Others teach that, having found him, 
we are no longer to “ seek” him. But the dis¬ 
parity of these teachings is more in form than 
in substance, and grows out of different uses of 
the term “seek.” He who has found God, will 
not “ seek ” him for the purpose of finding him. 
Nor will he who has found him in all of his 
fullness, life and comfort, “ seek ” him for such 
things. But he will continue to “seek God”— 
meaning by the term, to go to him—for con¬ 
tinuous salvation, fullness and life; for new 
demonstrations of his presence, love and salva¬ 
tion ; for new light on the pathway of holiness 
and duty ; for the many things needed in carry¬ 
ing on the work of God ; and for the necessary 
outpouring of the Holy Ghost upon the Word 
of God, and the hearts of men. 

8. “Praying in the Holy Ghost” is done 
under the touch and seal of the Holy Ghost. 
And he who thus prays, knows that his prayer 
takes hold of God. In some way he feels the 
change, and has no doubt about the matter. The 
commencement, and even the continuance of the 
words of his prayer, may be without any great 
uplifts; yet each thought drops from his heart 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


213 


like solid metal from its mould. The Holy- 
Ghost is in a thousand calms, not only as he 
was with Jesus upon the Sea of Galilee, but in 
our prayers. At other times, the spiritual 
atmosphere grows dense, and even becomes 
like the “ rushing, mighty wind,” until the sen¬ 
sibilities are mightily invigorated. Often the 
power is very forcibly felt by others, and per¬ 
haps communicated to them. 

9. “ Praying in the Holy Ghost ” is praying 
in faith. There is a faith in the very act of 
utterance. The mind is brought into that state 
where faith is easy for the very things asked for. 
The Divine assurance of “things to come” is 
made clear and perfect. The apostle John puts 
the case in this way : “And if we know that he 
hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we 
have the petitions that we desire of him.” 
(1 John v. 15.) 

10. What prayers “in the Holy Ghost” the 
dear saints in all ages of the world have lodged 
before the throne of God ! May there be a 
thousand fold more of them ! But why not 
here make room for the record of a very few of 
this kind, such as, among others, are especially 
noteworthy : 

Neander, in his “ Memorials of Christian Life 
in the Middle Ages,” when recording the call 


214 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


of the (really) saintly Patrick, to carry the news 
of salvation to the Irish, says : “ One night, it 
seemed to him as if something that was in him, 
and yet above him, and was not himself, prayed 
with deep sigliings, as if it was the Spirit of God 
himself. And he awoke, and remembered the 
expressive words of the apostle Paul, concerning 
the inward communion of the children of God 
with his Spirit.” 

A. J. Gordon, in his “Ministry of Healing,” 
relates the fact that in 1830, in Port Glasgow, 
Scotland, there lived a family of McDonalds, 
brothers and sisters. He says : “One of the 
sisters, Margaret, of saintly life, lay very ill, and 
apparently nigh unto death. One day, when 
James was standing by, and she was interceding 
that he might at that time be endowed with the 
Holy Ghost, the Spirit came upon him with 
marvelous manifestations. His whole counte¬ 
nance was lighted up; and with a step and 
manner of the most indescribable majesty, he 
walked up to Margaret’s bedside, and addressed 
her in these words : ‘Arise, and stand upright ! ’ 
He repeated the word, took her by the hand, 
and she arose. Her recovery was instantaneous 
and complete; and the report of it produced a 
profound sensation, and many came from great 
distances to see her. Mr. Erskine visited the 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


215 


house, and made careful and prolonged inquiry 
into the facts, and put on record his conviction 
of the genuineness of the miracle.” 

Charles G. Finney, in his celebrated revival 
work of the last generation, laid particular 
stress “ upon the agency of the Holy Spirit ” in 
carrying it forward. In his “Autobiography,” 
when describing this work, he repeatedly men¬ 
tions the wonderful spirit of prayer which 
prevailed among the people of God. Of the 
revival at Rome, N. Y., he says: “ Indeed, the 
town was full of prayer. Go where you would, 
you heard the voice of prayer. Pass along the 
street, and if two or three Christians happened 
to be together, they were praying. Wherever 
they met, they prayed.” No wonder, then, 
that one who visited the place, though not then 
a professor of religion, testified, that as soon as 
he crossed the canal, about a mile from the 
town, a strange impression came over him, one 
so deep that he could not shake it off. He felt 
as if God pervaded the whole atmosphere. In 
the town, he found men so impressed that they 
could hardly attend to business. And no wonder, 
too, that under such circumstances, within 
twenty days, five hundred souls were hopefully 
converted to God. A lesson to every one of 
the value of persistent prayer ! 


216 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


At Western, N. Y., not far from the time the 
above occurred, a lady had such a spirit of prayer, 
that her husband thought she would die. But 
soon after, she came from her room, and in a 
burst of holy power, exclaimed to Mr. Finney : 
“The Lord has come! This work will spread 
over all this region ! A cloud of mercy over¬ 
hangs us, and we shall see such a work of grace 
as we have never seen!” And accordingly, 
precisely so, these things happened. 

There was a man named Abel Clary, whom 
Mr. Finney describes as possessed of a “won¬ 
derful spirit of prayer.” He did not always 
attend his meetings, but was in their neighbor¬ 
hood, praying for them. A gentleman in Roch¬ 
ester, at whose house Mr. Clary was entertained 
at the time of one of the great revivals in that 
city, said to Mr. Finney : “ He prays nearly all 
of the time, and in such an agony of mind that 
I do not know what to make of it. Sometimes 
he cannot even stand on his knees, but will lie 
prostrate on the floor, and groan and pray in a 
manner that quite astonishes me.” By such 
agencies as these was that powerful work of 
grace carried forward. 

Mr. Finney has this to say of himself : “A 
spirit of importunity sometimes came upon me, 
so that I would say to God, that he had made a 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


217 


promise to answer prayer, and I could not and 
would not be denied. I felt so certain that he 
would hear me, and that faithfulness to his 
promises and to himself rendered it impossible 
that he should not hear and answer, that, fre¬ 
quently, I found myself saying to him : ‘ I hope 
thou dost not think that I can be denied! I 
come with thy faithful promises in my hand, and 
I cannot be denied ! ’ I cannot tell how absurd 
unbelief looked to me.” 


Chapter XXXII 


POWER. 

IppOWER is two-fold. First, it is “ ability to 
act, regarded as latent.” And, secondly, 
it is “ the exercise of a faculty, the employment 
of strength.” Or, as applied to men, one branch 
of it concerns personal fitness, while the other 
concerns personal action. And these facts are 
true of spiritual Power, precisely the same as 
of natural Power. 

1. All Power is in God, and from God. 
This is so palpable a fact that none will gainsay 
it. Moreover, there is Power from God, to the 
children of God. There is enough of it. He 
has it, they need it, and every one can have it. 
Indeed, the Old Testament command and 
promise, repeatedly given, is, “Be strong.” In 
the New Testament, there is a lavish expenditure 
of instruction in the same direction. Paul says : 
“Stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be 
strong;” and, “ Finally, my brethren, be strong 
in the Lord, and in the Power of his might.” 
(Isa. xxxv. 4; Dan. xi. 32; Hag. ii. 4; 1 Cor. 
xvi. 13; Eph. vi. 10.) There is absolutely no 
want. The Pen of Inspiration has emphatically 


218 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


219 


promised: “My God shall fulfill every need of 
yours, according to his riches in glory, in Christ 
Jesus.” (Phil. iv. 19.) 

2. The Pentecostal Church was, most cer¬ 
tainly, a Church of wonderful Power. In fact, 
all along the New Testament day, there was 
great activity and success, indicating that among 
the workers and in the work, there was very much 
of the Divine manifestation and Power. Yet 
even then, the picture was not without its dark 
and forbidding shades. There were divisions, 
weaknesses, and backslidings; and no doubt, in 
instances unknown to us, there was want of 
success. In “ what the Spirit saith to the 
Churches,” as well as in some of the epistles, 
we are forced to notice the shortcomings of 
many of those professing the gospel of Christ. 
(Rev. ii., iii.; 1 Cor. i., iii., etc.; James 
ii., iv., v.) 

3. The Church of the present age is not 
without Power. God has not left his people 
to walk in weakness and alone ; and there are 
indications of this in many directions. In fact, 
there are instances of individual Power which 
are amazing. A few local Churches, or portions 
of them, come well up to the standard of Pen¬ 
tecost. The manifestations vary, but the Power 
is present among them. Reuben Yeakel related 


220 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


in a holiness meeting in Cleveland, that he once 
knew a brother, from whom there was such a 
flow of Divine Power, that no one, be he saint 
or sinner, could be more than very briefly in 
his presence without quite sensibly feeling it; 
it was remarkable. On being questioned about 
it, the brother replied, that this Power had not 
left him a moment for five years. 

No optimism is required to see that the above 
view is substantially true. But neither is any 
pessimism required to see that there is great 
spiritual dearth in the land ; indeed, in all lands. 
With all the good which confessedly exists, it is 
certain that there is an immense amount of 
worldli'ness and vanity, in many quarters where 
we have the fullest right to look for zeal and 
power. Many complain of their weakness in 
the presence of duty and temptation, who would 
love to be strong; and perhaps they make some 
efforts to gather strength. But others confess 
that they “make many crooked paths,” and 
appear to think that nothing better should be 
expected of them. Very few, comparatively, 
have much power in prayer, or to induce sinners 
to seek salvation. In fact, a majority of the 
members of the evangelical Churches of the day, 
were never saved from their sins and born of 
God ; or else have lost what they once received. 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


221 


Much of so-called gospel labor is superficial, 
misleading, and even dangerous. In the pulpit, 
dry and powerless essays take the place of 
necessary fresh truth, that which is filled with 
holy warmth and power. Men who seek to 
please men, must not expect to have power with 
God. “How can ye believe,” says our Savior, 
** which receive honor one of another, and seek 
not the honor that cometh from God only?” 
(John v. 44.) 

4. Paul gave to the Corinthian Church a 
special discourse on the Ministry of the Spirit. 
(2 Cor. iii. 3-iv. 7.) At the conclusion of it, 
as the Common Version reads, he said: “ But 

we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that 
the excellency of the Power may be of God, 
and not of us.”. On this text it has been rightly 
observed: “ No less than six different words, 
in the original Greek Scriptures, are translated 
by the English word ‘ power; ’ and they appear 
in a hundred places in the New Testament. Oh 
for the ‘excellency of the Power!’—the 'exceed¬ 
ing greatness of the Power!’ as the Revised 
Version has it. The Greek word here translated 
'excellency’ and ' exceeding greatness,’ is hyper¬ 
bole , a word that means excessive, extravagant; 
far beyond the common; transcendent, beyond 
all ordinary power of expression. The other 


222 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


word translated ‘ power ’ is dynamis . ” Hence, 
“ instead of the feeble combination, ‘ Excellency 
of the Power,’ Paul wrote the startling phrase, 

4 Hyperbole of Dynamite;’ a phrase having a 
meaning far beyond any that has been thought 
of from his day to ours.” ( E . Wentworth.') 

5. The Holy Ghost charges himself with the 
business of empowering the children of God. 
He has the Power in himself, an all-sufficiency 
of it; and he proposes, under rightful con¬ 
ditions, to impart it. “ Ye shall receive Power,” 
said Jesus, “when the Holy Ghost is come 
upon you.” “That ye may be strengthened 
with Power,” said Paul, “through the Spirit, 
in the inward man.” (Acts i. 8; Eph. iii. 16, 
R. V:) There is, therefore, no just necessity 
of failure in accomplishing the whole will of 
God. “ Serving him in my weak way,” as so 
many profess to do, is a consequence of living 
far beneath the privileges and requirements of 
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

6. The minister of truth, especially, stands, 
for the time being, as did the prophet of old, 
in the very place of God. He is an “ambas¬ 
sador” from the Kingdom of Heaven to the 
inhabiters of earth. He is the authoritative 
declarer of the mind of God. Said Jehovah to 
his servant, Ezekiel: “Son of man, I have 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


223 


made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; 
therefore, hear the Word at my mouth, and give 
them warning from me.” (Ezek. iii. 17. See 
■also Jer. i. 9; Eph. vi. 20; 1 Peter iv. 11; 
2 Cor. iv. 5.) 

7. By the right of position, then, God's 
ambassador is entitled to receive the truth from 
God; that is, the very truth , for the very ti?ne , 
for the very occasion , for the very people. By the 
same right of position, he is entitled to all of 
the Divine sustenance and demonstration which 
are necessary to himself, for his own good, in 
the delivery of the truth. But again, by the same 
right of position, he is entitled to a sufficiency 
of the Divine nature "and its accompaniments, 
for the communication and effectiveness of the 
truth, that they who hear it may know the will 
of God in verity and truth. (See page 183 of 
this work.) 

8. This effectiveness does not and cannot 
arise from the “ laying on of the hands of the 
presbytery;” although, as a matter of Church 
order and propriety, this is all very well. It 
does not reside in the fact that the person pos¬ 
sessing it has a genuine call to the ministry; 
although this is certainly a grave factor in the 
case. Nor does it occur merely because he has 
a genuine experience in the deep things of God; 


224 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


yet, as a vantage ground, this is, unmistakably, 
an exceedingly important consideration. 

9. Wherein, then, lies the effectiveness of 
the truth of God ? The answer is this: The 
effectiveness of the Gospel Message lies in the 
immediate presence , demonstration , and applica¬ 
tion of the Holy Ghost; in such a way that the 
messenger is taught , from him , the truth which is 
to be uttered; and in such a way that , in its 
delivery , it is made vital and omnipotent , as the 
Voice of God , to those who hear it. Inspiration 
has given us the true thought on this subject in 
these words : “Unto us they did minister the 
things, which are now reported unto you, by 
them that have preached the gospel unto you, 
with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven.” 
And in these words: “And my speech and my 
preaching was not with enticing words of man’s 
wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit, and 
of Power. (1 Peter i. 12; 1 Cor. ii. 4.) And 
what is true of preaching, is also true, in its 
proper measure, of all real testimony for Jesus, 
and witnessing to the truth and its power to 
save, by any of the children of God. 

10. In the matter of Power and the work of 
grace, human mind, thought, and surrounding 
are not to be despised. It is not for a moment 
to be doubted, that keenness of intellect, quick- 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


225 


ness of apprehension, knowledge in general, a 
knowledge of the Bible and of human nature in 
particular, and a mind at the moment of 
discourse filled with the particular subject of 
discourse, are helpful, and indeed, very im¬ 
portant in their way, in the ministry of the 
Word of God. Let them be well cultivated. 
“ Give attendance to reading,” says Paul; 
“ Meditate upon these things;” “ Study to show 
thyself approved unto God.” (1 Tim. iv. 13,15; 
2 Tim. ii. 15.) Study many things; but espe¬ 
cially the Word of God, systematically, and 
critically, and day by day. A lazy preacher is, 
so far, a foolish one ; and he is usually a dry 
and unendurable one. Well may we be thank¬ 
ful that God makes use of moderate talent in 
proclaiming his truth; and yet high talent, 
when thoroughly devoted to him, is a blessed 
endownment, and of great usefulness in the 
ministry. “ It pleased God by the foolishness 
of preaching ”—but not by foolish preaching— 
to save them that believe.” (1 Cor. i. 21.) 
But all talent, great or small, is foolish indeed, 
unless sanctified to God, so that he can use it 
to his own glory and the good of men. 

11. The physical man is certainly related to 
spiritual Power. It cannot be doubted that the 
Holy Ghost, through physical presence and 


15 


226 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


voice, uses the more occult forces of nature 
as mediums whereby he reaches men. Some¬ 
times a weak and tired minister will carry 
everything before him, through the superlative 
activity of the Holy Ghost; but this is not 
always so. Allowing the Divine energy to be 
equal in two given cases, he who has the most 
physical strength will have an advantage in 
effectiveness over him who is weak. 

12. The “ body is the temple of the Holy 
Ghost. ” It therefore ought to be so treated and 
governed, as to be in as good order as possible 
for the use of its Heavenly Occupant. (1 
Cor. vi. 19.) It should have good and 
sufficient food; but by no means should this 
be received at random. It should have sufficient 
sleep and other repose; and as far as possible 
these should be at seasonable hours. It should 
have confortable clothing, for needful protection 
in the various changes in life. It should not 
be overworked, for overwork is premature death. 
Only in a cause of pure charity may the body 
be abused. In should not be dosed with medi¬ 
cine, for this destroys rather than cures. Christ 
is our Great Physician. 

13. The body may not be rightly pampered 
with any unnatural indulgence; nor are the 
natural ones to be allowed in excess. Too 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


227 


often the people of God half-ruin their bodies ; 
and there is great loss in grace and power, sim- 
ply by giving loose rein to the physical appetites. 
Let every man, woman, and child, who loves 
the Lord Jesus Christ in truth and sincerity, 
take warning. Paul says: “ Every man that 
striveth for the mastery, is temperate in all 
things.” And again : “ I keep under my body, 

and bring it into subjection ; lest that by any 
means, when I have preached to others, I myself 
should be a castaway.” (1 Cor. ix. 25, 27.) 

14. Especially, gluttony ought to be recog¬ 
nized as a crime against the body, and a sin 
against Heaven. It grieves the blessed Spirit, 
and often drives him quite away. A messenger 
of God may lack the power of God from eating 
too much, from eating too rich food, or from 
mating too often and irregularly. It is not well 
to indulge in eating after an evening meeting; 
for then the whole body requires repose, rather 
than additional work in the form of digestion. 
One should not undertake a great intellectual 
and spiritual task with an overloaded stomach ; 
he then needs the use of his vitality other¬ 
wise than in a struggle with a big dinner. 
(See Prov. xxiii. 2.) 

15. A powerful body is a powerful agent for 
the use of God. Life, and the opportunity to 


228 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


work successfully for God, depend very much 
upon the health and strength of the body. 
Within proper limits, the law which God has 
placed over the body is as sacred as that which 
he has placed over the soul. In fact, the two 
are simply parts of the one great law of right¬ 
eousness, which belongs to the universal govern¬ 
ment of God. Healing through faith is good ; 
but not to need it is better. Therefore, it is 
highly important that we do not spend our 
physical powers foolishly, but conserve them 
carefully, to the glory of God. Live, live! 
and be useful and happy in God; and not die 
before your time. 

16. Physical healing not only has its place 
in the plan of God, but it is no mean one. 
Many more of the children of God, than have 
yet found the secret, might be healed of their 
diseases, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, 
did they but rightly carry their cases therefor 
to the Father of all mercies. Fanaticism natur¬ 
ally creeps into this as well as almost every other 
work of holiness ; yet the Lord gives wisdom 
and power to his workmen in taking their hum¬ 
ble part in it; providing that they seek to him 
with all their hearts. 


Chapter XXXIII. 

POWER-CONTINUED. 

|P|>OME say : “ Holiness is Power,” and 

“the Holy Ghost is Power; therefore 
they would not have the entirely sanctified 
“ seek for Power.” Others say : “ There are 

degrees of Power, even in the entirely sancti¬ 
fied ;” therefore their advice to them is, “ Seek 
for Power.” But let us call to mind and apply 
the facts as set down, that Power is two-fold; 
first; “ Ability to act, regarded as latent;” and, 
secondly, “ The exercise of a faculty, the em¬ 
ployment of strength.” Having done so, all 
confusion is removed, and all double teaching 
is without effect. With the entirely sanctified, 
Power simply as a substance need not be prayed 
for, because it has been received and cannot be 
increased; but Power as that substance in 
motion, and available, may be prayed for, 
because in this sense it can be increased. 

1. When we get from our hearts all of the 
elements of spiritual weakness and disease, and 
get into them all of the elements of spiritual 
Power, and simply retain the latter, it surely is 
out of reason to seek for these any more. In 
this sense, “ Holiness is Power,” and to have 


229 


230 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


the “ Gift of the Holy Ghost is Power.’* But 
Power as an activity, or a development and 
manifestation suitable to every emergency which 
comes upon us, is often a matter of seeking, 
and of faith. “Ask, and ye shall receive.” In 
substance, every Christian thus asks for Power ; 
and no true minister of Jesus Christ speaks in 
the name of his Master who does not seek for 
light and Power. Although there is every 
promise that God will work in and through us r 
yet we are to ask, and believe, and thereby 
receive. (Psa. cxxxviii. 3; Eph. iii. 14-16.) 

2. Life is Power. It is inherent Power. 
And spiritual life is inherent spiritual Power. 
It is the constitutional force which is given to 
the soul at the moment of conversion. It is 
the root of all effectiveness ; and there belongs 
to it a certain definite ability of action. It is 
therefore Power according to the first definition 
given. It may or may not have disease in its 
near environment, and it may or may not be 
well developed; but there it stands, in the cita¬ 
del of the soul—it is Power, and the source of 
Power. But when it moves within us, then 
such movement comes within the second defini¬ 
tion of Power, “the employment of strength.” 

3. Spiritual growth betokens the develop¬ 
ment of activity and Power. But growth is not 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


231 


an addition to salvation ; for salvation is always 
from something. Nor is growth an addition to 
spiritual life and inherent Power; but, rather, 
it is truth vitalized by this life. We must eat, 
or we shall not grow, and life itself will soon 
become inoperative and extinct. And the food 
which is necessary to our growth is the pure 
Word of God; if we eat this plentifully and 
constantly, we shall live and thrive forever. 
Our effectiveness is measured in good part by 
the truth of God which we hold. There can 
be less effectiveness than knowledge, because 
the latter is not always vitalized through faith; 
and if there is more effectiveness than know¬ 
ledge, it is by the immediate movement of God 
upon the spiritual life, perhaps through the 
faith of others. 

4. Many, though professing Godliness, are 
utterly beyond the region of spiritual Power. 
The link of faith, which is held in place by 
obedience and devotion, is wanting, In a cor¬ 
rect sense, they are those, “ having no hope, 
and without God in the world.” Their “works” 
are not the product of spiritual life; although, 
through conviction of the Spirit, they may. do 
many things which are valuable in themselves. 
More usually, their works are routine and per¬ 
functory, or such as are born of selfishness, 


232 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


and, perchance, of zeal for a party, a sect; they 
certainly are not from God. Self-abasement, 
a new faith, and a new salvation are in order, 
which bring a new life of Power from God. 

5. Many who have the element of spiritual 
life, and at times show that Power which rightly 
flows from it, yet at other times show the 
motions of sin. Sin asserts itself, instead of 
the “'new man, which is created in righteous¬ 
ness and true holiness.” Many sermons, exhor¬ 
tations, and testimonies are “ spotted by the 
flesh.” They emit the breath of vanity and 
self, which puffs, and passes away like wind. 
Those who are thus moved may or may not be 
aware of it; yet others, the spiritually minded, 
often see and deplore it. But no manifestation 
of this kind moves human beings toward God ; 
it is without Power. The “ old man ” must be 
eradicated by the Blood of Jesus, before there 
is sufficient surety of those works which are 
always done in the Power of God. 

6. The entirely sanctified are saved from 
inbred sin ; spiritual soreness and disease are 
all removed; and the only weakness which 
remains to be contended with lies in the purely 
natural man alone. The spiritual life is now 
possessed, in a healthy and normal condition, 
and with it, consequent spiritual Power. There 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 233 

is Power for the ordinary duties and besetments 
of life. 

7. But the incoming of the Holy Ghost as 
the great “"Gift,” is, substantially, an addition 
to the life-force itself. He is a direct and per¬ 
manent inpartation from God, and of God. 
Therefore, with all confidence, a higher exercise 
of Power may be expected in those who possess 
him than in those who do not. The Holy 
Ghost is Power, and manifests Power; praise 
his name forever ! Those who are not entirely 
sanctified, should certainly seek the inestimable 
“ Gift” of God, for the enduement of Power. 
“Ye shall receive Power, when the Holy Ghost 
is come upon you.” (Acts i. 8 , jR. V.) 

As God is the source of all Power, those who 
are in need of it must seek to him for it. If 
the proper conditions are met, then Power will 
flow in, and nothing can hinder it. We may 
have that kind of Power, that degree of Power, 
and that adaptation and readiness of Power, 
which make life a harmony and a success. The 
prayer is answered: “Thy will be done, in 
earth, as it is in heaven.” 

1. Power as a realization is through the 
Divine pressure upon us. Therefore, one of 
the principal ways of seeking for an increase of 


234 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


Power is, to get to that place in experience 
where there is an increase of the Divine 
movement directly upon the soul. This does 
not mean more salvation to those who are fully 
saved—if such a thing were reasonable—but it 
means a state where there is less consciousness 
of the purified natural man. Effectiveness is 
often marred or lost , simply through an obtrusive 
self-consciousness. Thus the attention is turned 
somewhat into the wrong channel. But the 
greater the pressure of the Holy Ghost upon 
the heart, and the more of God is manifested, 
the less there is of mere self-knowledge ; and, 
consequently, the less obstruction there is to 
the inflow and outflow of God’s superlative 
Power. 

2. In the sense of seeking for the superior 
touch and manifestation of God, we may stilL 
draw nigh to him, and he will draw nigh to us. 
As it is by increased attention to God, that we 
have increased fellowship with him, so it is by 
increased movement in thought and will toward 
God, that we find an intensified movement of 
God upon us. Human sensation, or what is 
merely that, is in good measure relegated to the 
shade, while the appreciation of the God- 
presence, the touch of the Holy Ghost, is 
intensified and made absorbing. In such a 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


235 


position and such a condition, the will of God, 
and the truths which he would have us deliver 
to others, move along before us in grand proces¬ 
sion. We hear God readily and distinctly, we 
speak his word without stammering, and it goes 
forth on its mission filled with Power. 

3. Many come to such a state of Power as 
this, but it does not prove to be a permanent 
one. It answers its present purpose, and is 
gone. But with a few this is not so ; there is 
a species of permanence about it, as much so 
as human consciousness can well bear. There 
can be no doubt that this permanence, with 
increase, is designed to be the common heritage 
of the saints of the Most High. But to have it, 
a high standard will necessarily be followed, 
with great consistency and persistency, to the 
end. Amen. 

4. The blessing of God upon any specific 
work demands specific prayer for it. He, for 
instance, who goes into the pulpit without 
prayer, must not be disappointed if he finds 
himself with no message for the people; or, 
thinking he has one, that there is no Power 
in what he says. It is by special desire, special 
pleading and special faith, that special victories 
are won. We must get underneath the load 
with God. Then he will lift us and it up to- 


236 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


gether. For many things a single act of faith 
is sufficient; but with many others, those of 
great moment, this is not so. Sometimes a 
single act of faith will bring a victory, while a 
dozen of them, intensified in their scope and 
design, will bring a mightier victory. As two 
persons acting together are stronger than either 
of them alone or both of them apart, so two 
acts of faith by the same person and for the 
same object, may be more than twice as effective 
as one such act alone. Jesus is reported as 
praying all night to his Father, and ours. (Luke 
vi. 12. See also Heb. v. 7.) 

5. Another thing is, we come to understand 

the requirements of the work before us better, 
by much praying than by little praying for it. 
One who labored with William Bramwell said 
of him : “ It seemed as if he had the varied 

states of the people unveiled to him, when he 
was closeted with the King of kings. He was 
thus qualified to direct a * word in season ’ to 
each of his hearers, and to enter into all the 
varieties of their experiences.” 

6. Intercessory prayer brings Power. It is 
often essential to it. Bramwell’s biographer 
said of him: “ I almost imagine that I hear 
his agonizing pleadings for souls, both in public 
and in private. Yes; the house where he dwelt, 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


237 


the rooms where he took repose, the pulpits 
which he occupied, and, in short, every place 
through which he passed, if called upon, could 
attest, that, like his Divine Master, he offered 
up prayers and supplications, with strong cry- 
ings and tears, for the salvation of-sinners.” 
The result of this kind of praying was great 
pulpit Power, and wonderful success in winning 
souls to Christ, and believers to the fountain of 
cleansing. 

7. An unknown writer of the last genera¬ 
tion—but he must have been well known in 
heaven—gave the following : “All the mighty 
men of war in the Church since the foundation 
of the world, who have shaken hell, have been 
sons of the closet. Moses pleaded until he had 
Power to turn aside Heaven’s red-hot thunder¬ 
bolt of wrath. Elijah, after long and powerful 
pleading, shut and opened heaven. Luther and 
his coadjutors were men of such mighty plead¬ 
ings with God, that they broke the spell of ages, 
and laid nations subdued at the foot of the 
cross. Baxter stained his study wall with pray¬ 
ing breath ; and after he got anointed with the 
Holy Unction of the Spirit, sent a river of 
living water over Kidderminster, and was the 
means of converting hundreds.. John Oxtoby, 
with his one talent, sighed, wept, fasted, 


238 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT 


groaned, and repented for sinners ; threw them 
on the Atonement, and bound them there for 
hours by faith’s strong arm; entered the 
pulpit, and spoke words of flame, so that 
hundreds were saved.” 

8. The same writer, by way of advice to an 
inquirer, said : “ Look at the whole mass of 

sinners, wading recklessly through currents of 
Redeeming Blood ; steeling their consciences 
against the Holy Ghost; pressing through the 
prayers of saints, and making steppingstones to 
hell of God’s Book. Yes; they are emphatic¬ 
ally in earnest to ruin their bodies and souls 
forever. They are on a slippery hill, and all 
around is hell. Think how they dishonor God; 
think how they pierce the Savior; think how 
they grieve the Holy Spirit. See how they 
push one another off the stage of action into 
perdition. Think what Jesus has done, is doing, 
and is willing to do for them. Think of what 
he has done for millions as bad as they, when 
they repented, forsook sin, and believed. 
Make their sins your own, so to speak ; that is, 
feel for them, and repent for them, as though 
you were in their condition. Keep casting your 
soul and their sins on the Atonement. Do not 
plead to make God willing to save them, for he 
is already infinitely willing. But plead because 


OF THE HOLY GHOST. 


239 


it is your duty; plead because God does and 
always will answer the pleadings of bold and holy 
faith. Never mind spending your time in 
-Studying the philosophy of the thing— it is so. 
The Book of God and every page of Church 
history say— it is so. The success that has 
always attended such closet groanings sets it 
beyond doubt. Plead the Power of God; 
plead the love of God; plead the mercy of 
God ; plead the ‘ yea ’ and ‘ amen ’ promises of 
God. Plead the life of Jesus ; plead his death, 
resurrection, ascension, and prevailing inter¬ 
cession. Span your strong-nerved arms of faith 
around sinners , and bind them to the blood-stained 
tree. Plead heaven, with its everlasting glory ; 
plead hell, with its darkness, fire, and adaman¬ 
tine chains. Plead the shortness of time ; plead 
the length of endless eternity. But mind, do 
all in faith, with a single eye to the glory of 
God. And if you plead in this way for hours, 
you will soon learn the grand secret of shaking 
any town, and sending a wave of living water 
over the land.” 

So it appears that there is Power—spiritual 
Power—an all-abundance of it—which our 
Heavenly Father is willing and glad to bestow 
upon his children. It is the Power of a full, 


240 


THE TWO-FOLD GIFT. 


personal salvation. It is Power to work right¬ 
eousness. It is Power for home-service, for 
citizenship, and for the sanctuary. It is, indeed. 
Power for all of us, for all times, for all places, 
and for all occasions. And this Power resides 
in the Holy Ghost; he is the 4 ‘ Spirit of Power. ! ’ 
Receiving him in his fullness, we have Power to 
prevail with God and with men. “ He that 
believeth on me,” Jesus said, “ out of his belly 
shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake 
he of the Spirit which they that believe on him 
should receive ; for the Holy Ghost was not 
yet given; because that Jesus was not yet 
glorified.” 

“ Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and 
to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, 
is now, and ever shall be, world without end. 
Amen.” 

“The Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, 
and the Love of God, and the Communion 
of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. 
Amen.” 




























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